Knights of Chaldea
by Kim454
Summary: a Grand Order with Masters from another Stories. The one from a story of carrying on one's conviction, The one from a story of revolutionizing the world, The one from a story of searching for oneself, And this is a story about taking back the future
1. Chapter 0-0 Prologue

**This is my first fanfic that's inspired from Fates of Humanity by ImmortalEmperorWithAnEpicBeard, a remake I would say**

 **Notice: with the news about the release of Lord El-Melloi II case files Anime. This Fanfic has a possibility of Reboot.**

 **Time for Disclaimer.**

 **Fate/stay night, Fate/Prototype, Fate/Extra, Fate/Grand Order and other works belong to TYPE-MOON, Kinoko Nasu and Takeuchi**

* * *

Chapter 0-0: Grand Beginnings

 **A battle has been fought and is now over.  
Place your sword upon the ground, and rest in the temporal peace. **

**After dozing in the warmth of a dream, a new day will begin.  
The days keep passing by...  
And we still chase the same star we once saw**

 **Fuyuki Fifth Holy Grail War**

"_"

"Shirou, I love you"

She starts to fade away.

Before she faded away, a shine erupts from her body. That was her scabbard, Avalon.

"Shirou, I want you to take it

I may be not able to summoned ever again. That because I've destroyed the grail with my own will. So my contract with the world is over. I'll spend my resting in Avalon. I hope that scabbard can guide you there".

"Shirou,... Goodbye"

And she faded away. And my memory about her Scabbard is lost. Precisely, I can't recall its shape, its meaning, its whole existence. In other words, seems I can't project it anymore. Without her, the scabbard is useless. Only the scabbard in my hands that remain exists.

* * *

 **The Lord has spoken. "Abundance shall not pile up in the land".**

 **When the ostentation of prosperity returns to nothing,  
the millennium of the next era visits.**

 **The symbol of abundance, the seven sins of men.  
Chalice of gold sullied by impurities.**

 **Everything is for the sake of opening the gates of Heavens.  
The last miracle, into the hands of the most excellent one.**

 **Tokyo Second Holy Grail War**

"Seal Thirteen, Decision Start!"

" _Approved_ "

" _Bedivere, Gareth, Galahad, Lancelot, Mordred_ "

"This is a fight to save the world!"

" _Arthur_ "

" **Ex... calibur!** "

"For you, Ayaka"

* * *

 **1 year later from Fuyuki Fifth Holy Grail**

Clang. A beautiful sound

—that light. Only that sound is something I'll never forget in all my life.

The sound of the bell that announces the commencement of the battle.

The beautiful sound from her flawless armor accompanies her figure

"—I Ask you. Are you my master?"

That voice is still clear.

That image in his(my) memory did not erode over the time, even now it still deeply etched into his(my) heart

"I, Servant Saber, have come forth in response to your summons.

From this time forth, my sword shall be with you and your fate shall be with me.

Now, our contract is complete.

…Yes, the contract is complete.

She chose him to become her Master.

And he swore to help her with all his might.

The moonlight illuminated the darkness

That Knight's figure appeared in the shed as if to reclaim silence.

As he thought to himself, that familiar name slipped out of his mouth.

He still cannot forget that blue light.

That blonde hair bathed in moonlight had texture as fine as grained gold.

And

Then

I

.

..

...

And Then I awake from my 'Night of Fate' dream

It's been a long time since that time.

After I finish my high school studies. I was invited to Clock Tower at London by Rin Tohsaka, so I can improve my Magecraft and learned many things. Albeit, Reinforcement, Projection, and Tracing is the only things I can learn. Because both my Origins and my Elemental Affinity is 'Sword'. That was the reason why I can't learn other forms of Magecraft, after all.

Now, I live in a House somewhere in London.

Live in London isn't unlike life in Fuyuki where I have my own Residence(the house were quite big to call just a 'house')

After rising up from the bed. This is my daily, making breakfast, practicing my Tracing, and go to Clock Tower.

However, today is quite different.

When I head to the door of my room I noticed there's a letter lying on the floor. I picked up that letter.

The letter was not in an envelope. What kind of person who wrote his letter and not sending it with an envelope?

I read the letter anyway

 _Dear Shirou Emiya,_

 _I want you to visit me in my room at Clock Tower. There are some... Things I want to discuss with you. It's complicated. I will tell you the details once we meet._

 _Oh, you should bring your adopted sister, Illyasviel von Einzbern with you and you might need Rin Tohsaka assistance_

 _Sincerely, Kischur Zelretch Schweinorg_

 _PS: you two should be prepared to pack your clothes and things because this is going to be a long time_

 _PPS: this is the important one, brings that scabbard!_

Zelretch ?! As Tohsaka's Great Master?! If I correctly remember he's a Second Magic user that also called as Kaleidoscope which involves Parallel Worlds things. Tohsaka also said sometimes when he's bored he can send some random or not really random persons to another universe to see what could happen in his 'What If...' scenario. Since he doesn't want to think about it. Instead, he chose to make it real. Basically, his Second Magic is his own fanfiction. In the literal sense.

Still, the 'Things' that he mentioned is made me worried. Is he want to ask me, to become one of his parallel worlds pranks.

And he mentioned Illya. Yes, Illya. My adopted sister in law. To think the first Master who trying to kill me during the Holy Grail War is actually Kiritsugu's child is surprising. After knowing the reason Illya trying to kill me in the first place, that because she thinks Kiritsugu abandoned her and chose me to replace her. But, I told her that Kiritsugu often go overseas and I say "probably, he's not abandoned you. He must be trying to get you, but not allowed by your grandfather of yours".

After knowing that, Illya decided to start living with me. The only her family member she cares about now.

Albeit, sometimes she returns to the Einzbern's Castle when we still live in Fuyuki. Turns out, she also brought her two maids along with her Sella and Leysritt

And it seems the Maid named Sella doesn't like me. Perhaps, she has some grudge with me having my father surname.

When we moved to London. Illya is the one who decided where we gonna live. I ask Illya please don't get too fancy. Well, we got a house with a workshop for Magecraft practice.

Enough for the flashback, since this is about Rin Tohsaka Great master I'll definitely ask her assistance without a doubt.

He also mentioned 'that scabbard'. Is he meant for Avalon, the sheath of Excalibur? What is he want from Avalon? Avalon is the only thing that connects me with her. I won't give that scabbard easily.

"Illya" I call my 'little' sister

"Yes, Onii-chan"

Onii-chan(big brother), what an irony. If she was Kiritsugu's first child that was made her as the older sister. I ever questioned about her preference for calling me the big brother. The reason she chose decided to call me big brother is she doesn't like to be called older sister. She said she was 18 years old during Fifth Holy Grail War, that means she's 20 years old now.

"Illya, we got a letter from Zelretch"

Illya frowned

"that old Vampire?"

I was nodded to respond

Yes, Zelretch was a Vampire. Specifically, Dead Apostle.

Despite being a Dead Apostle, he always helps mankind.

"what is that old Vampire want? Is he want to pick another apprentice again?"

That true, sometimes in parallel worlds sense. When he in dilemma he tends to pick a... No, apprentices. But after became Zelretch's Apprentices, they kinda ruined? I don't know in what terms? But, no one can say no.

"I don't know. we should ask Tohsaka for this matter and better we started to prepare our clothes and other things. Because he said this is going to be a long time".

"understood Onii-chan"

After that, we start packing our clothes and our important things.

When I was preparing. I stumbled a small briefcase. It was Kiritsugu's old briefcase.

I opened that briefcase. In that briefcase there an old gun, a Thompson Contender and several it's bullets. This is the gun that Kiritsugu used when he still called as Magus Killer. I still don't believe the fact Emiya Kiritsugu was a Magus Killer. But, that was a truth. I picked that briefcase anyway because that was the only memorial of Kiritsugu.

"are you done, Onii-chan?" Illya was shouting

"Alright, I'm done".

"mou, you're slow, Onii-chan!".

"Sorry sorry".

Illya grunting with my apology. Well, it cannot be helped.

Then we headed to Clock Tower to meet Rin Tohsaka first

At The Clock Tower

"EEEEEHHHHH!"

That was a loud shout from Rin Tohsaka. That scream is loud enough to take attention to surroundings people.

"You got an invitation from my master, Zelretch!" said Rin Tohsaka to her disbelief.

"could you calm down, Tohsaka" I replied.

"how I could calm about this matter. We talked about The Second True Magic user, Kaleidoscope!".

Tohsaka is really shocked right now.

"Ugh, nevertheless I'll accompany you to meet him. Follow me".

"Rin-san totally loses her temper" Illya commented.

"for me, this is Rin Tohsaka that I know".

With a slight stare at me, she responded "Eeeh?".

We follow Tohsaka to Zelretch's Room

Not many persons who can enter his room only some persons who had allowed, persons he wanted to meet, and some persons whose ability to force to meet him. The last category is type he didn't want to meet.

Before, we about to reach his room there were two persons who standing in front of the door. One man and one girl, that man has a very long black hair, wearing a formal outfit, and a red scarf over his shoulder. That man was Lord El-Melloi II. As for the girl, strangely I feel a familiarity with her, have I meet her or something? That girl wearing a gray hooded cloak, inside the cloak she wears black zipped tight suit, on the outside she wears a black mantle with white fur lining at neck area, she also wears gray square patterns skirt, a pair of long black stocking, and a pair of black boots. Her face is covered by the hood. But, I manage to take a notice that she has gray hair. Everything I could describe her is Black and gray like a Monochrome.

"Rin Tohsaka, Shirou Emiya, Illyasviel von Einzbern we've been waiting for you," said Lord El-Melloi II upon us.

They have been waiting for us?

"eh, you've been waiting for us?" Tohsaka asked, "yes, I got a letter from Mr. Kaleidoscope".

"you got the letter too?". I responded to his statement

"seems we are being invited by Mr. Kaleidoscope" Lord El-Melloi II concluded. "because everyone is here and he didn't say wait for anyone besides three of you, We can meet him now"

And on the cue Lord El-Melloi II push open the double door. We all greeted with a man in late 50th or 80th perhaps older due to the fact he's a Vampire. That man sitting at an old chair and in front of us there's a wide desk with many books and currently he...

Just finished reading and put down the book that he was just reading. I guess, he knows he'll finish just as we enter his room.

The room was a perfect cube shaped, it has no window closing the door would make it a pitch black darkness if there is no light source from an old reading lamp.

"ah, finally, you all came" He greeted us with a friendly voice for a someone who is a Second Magic user. Yes, that man was Kischur Zelretch Schweinorg. The Wizard Marshal, Zelretch of the Jewel. Also known by the name of Kaleidoscope, he is one of the five magicians. Also a Dead Apostle. He possesses so many titles.

"what is it, Great Master? Is there something you need?" Rin ask him first

Without giving any short silence he straightly response

"oh yes, I need you to save the world" he said that with the neutral expression

"huh?" we all only can giving him confused expression with blinking several times.

"no, that wasn't correct. I need you to save the 'future' of the world" this time he said that with the serious tone at 'future' part.

"Huh?!" we all giving him another confused expression with little bit louder voice

"Umm... Great... Master?... Did. You.. just say 'save the world'? Am I not misheard?" Rin asking to confirm what we just heard.

"no, you my dear apprentice. You heard that clearly" he answer it with Sherlock Holmes style.

"What! You want us to save the world?! From what!" this time Rin scream out. "since it's you. I presume not in this world"

"Easy my dear apprentice, true I said to save the 'future' of the world. Well, it's yes and no, for not in this 'world' but also not really other 'world'. How do I explain?" as he thinking the way to explain "well you see, what I mean is a timeline after all timelines precisely 10 years from now on".

"that's doesn't change the fact in another world! But save the world from what?!" this time Lord El-Melloi II spoke to him.

"how about we call it Incineration of Human Order".

Everyone frowned. Not because we know that term is, rather we don't ever hear of that term in the world of magi.

Incineration of Human Order

That was he said

"Incineration of Human Order? What is that?" Lord El-Melloi II asked once more

"it's not me the one can explain that. However, the reason I called all of you. Well, most of you except for Gray were survivors of the Holy Grail War"

Holy Grail War

A competition to acquire the Holy Grail

a wish-granter that fulfills its owner's desires.

A path to 'the Root'

Or so everyone was thought.

Since the Holy Grail was corrupted by Angra Mainyu

All the world's evil

Holy Grail only capable grant wish through destruction

Saber and I have no choice but to destroy it before it's can manifest.

"is it have something to do with the Holy Grail War?" I uttered that question.

"the answer for that question is yes, something with the Grail. But, not the war" he answered. "tell me, how Heroic Spirits can be Summoned as a Servants? Einzbern?".

A question for Illya.

"Normally, we can't summon Heroic Spirit as familiar, the one doing the summoning is the Lesser Grail. The Incantation only to ensuring the one who became a Master of Servant. But, the power of Heroic Spirit still too great to maintain even after summoned. Therefore, the class system exist to divide Heroic Spirit power, for example, let's take King Arthur. In legend, King Arthur possess 3 powerful Noble Phantasms, holy sword Excalibur, holy lance Rhongomyniad, and dagger Carnwennan. Well actually there's also sheath of Excalibur, Avalon, a shield Pridwen, a ceremonial sword Clarent, which are stolen and another sword named Secace which given to Lancelot, used to battle the Saxons at Saxon Rock, and later known as Seure"

Well, that's quite a long explanation. When Illya explained that. I took notice of the hooded girl who I just know the name is Gray is twitching when hearing 'King Arthur' and 'Rhongomyniad' parts. Is this girl know something about it?.

"exactly, that's how you going to 'save the future of our world'. No, not just our world. But also, other worlds. Because you are going have to summons Servants to do that"

Summon Servants to save the world. Servants. Wait did he just said Servants with (s).

"wait, am I not misheard 'Servants' you mean not just one Servant?" this time Lord El-Melloi II cut. "to maintain one Servant is already exhausting. but two maybe, three unlikely and more there is no way. How to supply Mana for them?"

Good question, I also wondered how we could do that or those.

"it's not me the one who can answer that. you'll see"

How vague is that he has avoided two questions to answer.

"I have one more question. if this problem so big that requires Heroic Spirit to fix it. What happens to Counter-Force? Could Alaya just send Counter Guardian to do that job?"

Counter Guardian

Agents of Alaya, the collective will of humanity to avoid extinction.

An always active Counter Force to protect humanity from itself. By sending Counter Guardian to exterminate the threat with equal amounts power of the threat itself.

"even Counter Force has its own limit. Just pick Alien, since Alien did not come from earth. Counter Force doesn't see it as a threat. Has anyone watched Monty Python and the Holy Grail? The killer bunny scene? That thing actually exists. That thing is known as Beast IV, Primate Murder, Dead Apostle #1, the white beast, Cath Palug, Altrouge Brunestud's Demonic dog, Beast of Gaia, Merlin's familiar... OUps"

Did he just said Merlin's familiar?.

"anyway, in reality, it requires 7 Counter Guardians to stop that beast and killing 3 in the process. That's why even The World would cry out asking for help"

Is that really dangerous! How we can survive that.

"so in other words, you want to send all of us to stop this Incineration of Human Order?"

Lord El-Melloi II concluded.

"no, I'll only going to send Shirou Emiya, Illyasviel von Einzbern, Gray and Ayaka Sajyou not from this timeline"

Wait, only three of us plus someone who's not from our timeline?

"wait, how about me and Lord El-Melloi II?". This time Rin is the one asked

"don't worry you two will join with them. But, in a strange way. Besides you, two have to dismantle the Holy Grail War system at Fuyuki. Where Lord El-Melloi II is the one going to lead that and you as representative of Three founding families"

Another vague answer. It has been three times and we only can respond with "Huh?"

We are totally clueless.

"So I Ask you, are you ready? Shirou Emiya?"

He asks me first "if this for to saving many people, I'll fight!"

As a Hero of Justice I've dreamed of, I answer with all might.

"Illyasviel von Einzbern? "

This time Illya

"Wherever Onii-chan go, I'll go"

She answered with a smile that she can show.

"Hmm, seems Ayaka Sajyou is ready as well. How about you, Gray?"

I think he connected with the other him from another timeline. Last but not least, is the Hooded girl named Gray

"I have one question only" finally she speaks "Why me? I'm not even a Survivor of any Holy Grail War nor ever participate in one"

She is the only exception. I'm also wondered why someone like her is here as well.

"is it because I possess the Lance? Or because of... " as she about to finish her question. she pulls her hood and...

And I saw the same face of Saber that I know. The only thing that made her different is her hair color. It was gray like her name

I, Illya, and Rin were shocked. While Lord El-Melloi II just put his gaze away from her face.

"... I'm the descendant of King Arthur?"

Descendant of King Arthur? Her descendant?.

"Both"one-word answer and that's all

"I see, I'm done" she got the answer. But, she seems not to be really happy about it.

Why?

"then,..." he raises up his hands and "lets the Grand Order begins " clapped

And white light engulfing us

* * *

 **Woah! That's quite heavy and wow. This is the first time I try to write a Fanfic. If you ask is it just one-shot or going to be a series? It's going to be a series, yeah.**

 **This series will also have some Fragment of Chaldea-like chapters, no copy. I swear.**

 **I've planned to choose Shirou Emiya from Fate Route FSN, Ayaka Sajyou from Fate/Prototype, female Hakuno Kishinami from Fate/Extra, and Ritsuka Fujimaru from FGO itself as main characters**

 **Overall if each Masters has their own specials, in-game rules: Shirou would be Buster-type Master as Merlin like role(both prefer sword despite being a Magus), Ayaka being Quick type like Skaði(her Witchcraft put her as critical hitter), Hakuno as Arts type(if you consider Tamamo, plus with Hakuno excellent Spiritron-Hack she's good for increase Magical strength), while Fujimaru is like universalike Waver(heck even in the Wiki state, as Magus he isn't different from with Waver).**

 **For our lovely Illya she'll be the key reuniting Emiya Family, and for our existential crisis, Gray will be the key to unite KoRT. How sad.**

Next chapter: Chaldea - the Organization for the Preservation of Human Order


	2. Chapter 0-1 Chaldea

**Well, it really takes a lot of time for this chapter released. Sorry for the long update, I don't have plenty of free time, It cannot be helped. I'm also distracted by some Fate-related games, Battle Moon Wars(basically, FSN, Tsukihime, Kara no Kyoukai Crossover game), and I can finally can play FGO.**

 **My luck is wierd, I'm EX rank pulling CE (such as Kaleidoscope, his Jewel Sword) and manage get best support, Waver Velvet /Lord El-Melloi II/Zhuge Liang. But, E Rank when trying to pull Saber(stuck with Saber-Gilles)**

 **I'll be going to answer some previous chapter reviews, first.**

 _sheikhrajela: well, I forgot about that. But, I guess. Shirou thinks to compare alchemy and his_ **Blades Works (read: creation of Swords)** _, his blades works are better because he no needs to search for material to create a sword as long the materials exist in the present era. For Ruincraft, I don't know anything about that Magecraft. Is it same as Sieg's_ **Straße Gehen** _to weaken the structure of the object? Or do you mean Rune Magecraft? Well that's just not fit with his way._

 _Rhazort: ugh, grammar. I know that my writing is not good. Because English is not my official language. And surprisingly, since I received this review. I got spammed with Grammarly ads I ended up installed it anyway._

 _Xenophos24: well that's ironically for Shirou (to Ishtar, not Eresh) and Gray (to Waver) so don't ask why. Its spoiler alert. As for Shirou's lack of reaction to Saberface of Gray. Well, I kind of 'I don't know' what I have to do (write)? For Illya's state of Homunculus, well Zouken does say that she only had one year to live. But in Taiga dojo, she's hinted that she has proper lifespan somehow. Leave it as a mystery._

 **Time for Disclaimer**

 **Fate/stay night, Fate/Prototype, Fate/Extra, and Fate/Grand Order and other works belong to Kinoko Nasu, Takashi Takeuchi, and Type-Moon**

* * *

Chapter 0-1: Chaldea - the Organization for the Preservation of Human Order

 **Chaldea Headquarter, 2015  
Flashback part**

A large room with a globe lit up with blue light, the blue rectangular holographic screen appeared and disappeared by the command in the room. Inside the room behind the globe, voices of worry and fear echoed.

"The Shiva Lens has detected an abnormality!"

"Coordinates confirmed!"

"Abnormal value rising!"

One after another, workers in turquoise- and orange-colored uniform typing anxiously on the keyboard.

Their eyes shifted often between the screen and the large globe outside the room.

"Laplace is getting a read on the situation."

"Hurry!"

In the center, a white long single braided-haired woman wearing a black coat and orange dress stood. She was biting the nails on her thumb, orange orbs focused right at the globe too. Her jaw dropped open, muttered, "The light…"

Behind her, a man dark prune messy long-haired wearing a green top hat and matching coat stood up from his seat. He spoke towards the woman in front of him, "Chaldeas was created from a reproduction of Earth's soul(Alaya). If the light of that civilization is extinguished…"

The white-haired woman turned around with a confident posture. "Gather humans who are Master potentials right now! We'll move from Rayshift experiments to actual use!"

Faced back at the globe, her orange orbs gazed with a determined expression. "Unless we regain the light of Chaldeas, humanity has no future."

After that, Chaldea sends messages to Mage Association and United Nation.

When the message reaches the Clock Tower, the headquarter and the main branch of Mage Association. A certain someone from the Reverse of the World contacts the Second Magic user.

It was long before the arrival of Shirou Emiya and the others. Space was a completed world.

Jet black with points of light.

In the center of a room in the wide, perfect sphere dyed in the color of the night sky, there floated a wooden chair.

Based on its appearance alone, it would be enough to call the chair extravagant, but its wood gave it a refined hue, and one would not think it a repulsive gaud of the elite. Rather, just by existing here, it imbued the space around it with a conspicuous gravity.

If an unrefined person sat in the chair, that person would likely be consumed by the weight of the chair's existence and hidden fromthe surrounding view. Such was the significance of the chair.

The space had been prepared for the sole purpose of exhibiting the chair.

A man exuding a solemnity that outweighed that of the chair leaned back in it, emitting a loud creak.

"Hm… this is quite problematic"

If one were to draw a reduced map of the universe based on this room, the man sitting in the chair would be at its center, emitting an air surely befitting its master.

His external appearance would probably place his age in the 50s or 60s.

One could sense the trials of his life in the wrinkles etched deeply on his face, but his eyes remained brimming with brilliance, such as one might see in someone ten years his junior.

"This timeline..." as he saw a 'line' that has 3 branches. If imagine it with an empty paper. That 'line' was vertical, in the middle of the 'line' there is two branches and making it look like a circuit line, an USB symbol can be compared with the image of the 'line', each branch straight to same direction and end at same horizontal point. "... Ends here."

He saw another 'line' ends at the same horizontal point.

"..."

There's (nothing/something) he(Magician) can do about this matter. Since what he is, a Dead Apostle(denial of Human History). "Heroic Spirits(Affirmation of Human History) should be the ones who solve this"

*kriiiiing* an old telephone sounds "Hello, for the sake of Humanity, please" with eccentric tone a voice fill the space.

The Magician doesn't answer.

"you're already can hear me right?" that eccentric person voice sounds like he has been fooled.

The Magician just smirk with that person revelation.

"I could use my Independent Manifestation to come right at your place. But, it's would be troublesome when that crazy woman finds out I'm not here. Albeit, I can slip away when I have that chance"

"that's your problem, not mine. Magus" finally the Magician spoke to the Magus

The Magus spoke again "ah, right. I already halt my dear King to fully stepped in to this place. Well, actually my king only half step away to this place."  
"just half step more my king would be here forever"  
"so, I already done my job. And now it's your turn"

The Magician asks "what do you want?"

On the other side, the Magus "could you do something with your little Magic of yours"

At the same 'time' books in the space or room or whatever the right word, floating and starting flipping its pages.

"they should be the survivors from those Wars. So they got the experienced ones." the books starting became less in numbers.

"not because they just simply survive. But, because they thrive to to the end."more books are dissappear.

"just because they are the ones who reach to the end. Doesn't mean they win over it" fewer books remain keep its existence.

"I prefer that one. Same to you, no?" some duplicate books vanishing

"for that one. I think better he does come along with his family member" at the side of a certain book another book appear.

"I think that's all. Oh, this is the additional one. She's someone relative to my King"

One more book appears. And every remaining books stopped at the same time. Each books showing pictures of some people with their names and their background

The Magician look at the last book and sighed "what do you plan with this one?"

With amusing tone the Magus replied "trust me with my Clairvoyance, It's better for them"

The Magician sighed again "alright, consider it's already done"

"Thank you for your help, the Wizard Marshall, Kischur Zelretch Schweinorg" with happily voice the Magus greeting the Magician

"your welcome, Magus of Flowers, Merlinus Ambrosius"

"aww. Please don't call me with my full name. You know I don't well formalities" Merlin said with displeased voice

"speak to yourself" Zelretch said as he ends the talk.

Zelretch looking at the last information once more

"what is your plan?, Magus of Flowers"

That was information about Lord El-Melloi II apprentice, Gray

...

"Well, this could kill my boredom"

* * *

 **Present time**

Shirou POV

It was an instant, in a blink of eyes, we sent to this world.

When I open my eyes, I realized Lord El-Melloi II and Rin Tohsaka wasn't with us anymore, and I there's one additional person in Zelretch's room that wasn't here before.

A girl. She must be Ayaka Sajyou.

She's a teenager about same age as me, maybe younger. having medium long brown hair and bright blue eyes, wearing a glasses. She wears a purple-blue jacket, white blouse with shorts and stockings. And she's seem to be carrying a Mystic Code in form of a staff wrapped in bandages. And some of her belongings in luggage.

After that Zelretch giving us VIP tickets for a jet plane to a certain place, somewhere at Antarctica.

A place called Chaldea.

Strange, a place named after a country existed between the late 10th or early 9th and mid-6th centuries BC, after which the country and its people were absorbed and assimilated into Babylonia. Semitic-speaking, it was located in the marshy land of the far southeastern corner of Mesopotamia and briefly came to rule Babylon.

Babylon, to think about it. That name reminded me of that person. _Tch, that Golden arrogant king._

 **Meanwhile in...**

* * *

? POV

" _Let me tell you the story of a king."_

In the flower garden

"Yeah! "

"Fou~ Fou~"

"Beautiful, what a miracle! "

With everything that happening in the world… To think that such ending existed!

I do not know what happened but the story has calmed down.

She at the end of her long search for the Holy Grail, has accepted her own destiny.

I was not the weariness of fights or a desisting.

She, without a doubt, managed to obtain the Holy Grail, and then,

She rejected it by her own will!

No matter what anyone says,

The king chose the best path.

Even if there is destruction, this end is not a mistake.

It was a life that she can be proud of.

That…So if in the end she accepted it, there is no more need for me to leave.

What you had as a goal.

What you wished.

What you gave me.

All of that was my reward.

However… To see that stubborn woman to accept defeat is astounding.

She must have had an incredible and mysterious encounter.

? Which it was, I do not know, all I can see now it's the present.

If I could at least see the future, I could appreciate their fate.

" _Thank you, Merlin. I am very grateful to you. You have been a great mentor for me."_

That moment, it was truly problematic.

I did not think that time in which those insignificant words would hurt so much could arrive.

Although that is also a consequence of my own actions.

I've already saw what had to be seen.

No. I saw something much more beautiful.

"Go Cath Palug,

I'm fine here.

With your freedom, you will play into something really beautiful. "

"Fou~!"

The magician without any deep feeling,

He saw the departure of her last partner out the window.

" _The inner sea of the planet._

 _The platform of the watchtower._

In the far corner of the world, in a closed prison.

 _From the edge of paradise, you shall hear my words._

 _Your story shall be full of blessings._

Like no place in the exterior world, the immutable existence where the flowers bloom, a

garden of memories.

━ _Let only those without sin pass."_

The paradise garden, Garden of Avalon.

A man that has forgotten death waits, here, until the day the star fades off(Grand Order).

* * *

 **Chaldea**

In certain hallway

a girl stood try to looking at outside of the window. She has lilac hair and lavender eyes. In her casual outfit, Mash wears rectangular frame glasses, a grey hoodie over a black shirt over a white collar shirt, a black skirt and tights and brown shoes. She holds a Tablet, a kind of electronic device.

She got nothing but, her mirror image and blizzard

On her shoulder, there was a small creature(beast) standing, its stare at the girl face

"Mash, Professor Lev is looking for you"

That girl 'Mash' can't help but, look at the caller. A female staff. While the creature leap off from her shoulder and hide at the corner of hall T-junction. The creature still there looking at them.

"There were no problems with this morning's examination. But this mission will be pretty harsh." the staff spoke "If you feel any abnormalities with your body, let me know immediately."

"Yes, ma'am" the girl answered

The creature didn't do anything but stare and overheard their conversations

"It was your 16th birthday today wasn't it? Please don't push yourself too hard, OK?"

"Yes"

"Fou?" the creature was squeaked as it heard something, it decided to go check the noise.

At the same time, that staff woman leaving Mash as well.

Mash returned to her spot looking through the window and she turn on her tablet, she's just look at the screen and stare back at the window.

After few minutes, that creature is back

"Fou!" that creature seems to called Mash

"Fou, Four!" that creature moving in circle as if to say 'follow me'

Mash put her tablet and follow the creature passing the hallway.

"Where are you going?

The tablet she was left showing an image file of

A Blue Sky—

After short run following the creature, she come across with an unconscious teenager.

"Fou-san, that is the front gate. Outsider are not allowed–"

"…"

Mash stop her warning as she saw an unconscious raven haired teen.

"to think that such a defenseless and peaceful sleeping state existed".

"Is he one of master candidates? _This person is…"_ She thought to herselfas she about to try wake him up. "if so, I need to wake him up soon…"

Fou who close to the boy face also try to wake him up by smack his face with its paw.

"Ah, but not that rough" _his claw are out too_

Fou, who was smacking the unconscious teen face, now licking his face

"Uhm, it's neither morning nor nighttime, so please wake up, Senpai."

He seems started to regain consciousness.

When he get his awareness. He was startled by Mash's face for being close to his face, made Fou jump out of his face.

"You are…?"

…

(a change perspective)

Ritsuka POV

"Fou…? Kyu… Kyu?

"Fou! Fuu, Fou!"

" _What's… That sound… Some… Animal?"_

I groaned when he felt something licked his cheek. I opened my eyes, I noticed a white squirrel-like creature looking at me. Before I could learn anything, it at once leaped off from me.

I shifted my view and found a girl crouched down before me. The girl had pale violet bob hairstyle with her fringe covering her right eye.

She wore a pair of spectacles, white-grey hoodie, and black office dress beneath it. In my eyes, she doesn't seem like being a staff here. But also, she didn't seem to be a new employee that just joined too.

"Uhm, it's neither morning nor nighttime, so please wake up, Senpai." The girl said to me,

noticing I was still showing a drowsy expression.

I blinked my eyes twice, her words processed into my mind. I tried to sit up but staggered as my body wasn't fully awake yet. Once in a comfortable person, I asked, "Who are you…?"

"That's a hard question to ask suddenly. Maybe I'm not important enough for you to know my name?" The girl answered with a polite yet blunt tone.

"Huh?" I leaned my head forward, confusion and doubt worn on my face.

Noticed the change in my expression, she corrected, "No, I do have a name. I do have a proper name. But I never had the chance to use it… I'm afraid I don't leave a good first impression…"

With a quick glance of his position, he shook his head to rid of the drowsiness then asked, "Where are we?"

"Right. That's a simple question. I really appreciate it," The girl replied. ""This is a a observatory built for Preservation of Human Order, Chaldea Security Organization and here is the passageway from the front gate to the Central Command Room, which is in front of the Main Chaldea Gate."

"Uh huh…" I nodded to myself.

"Ahem. Anyway, can I ask you a question, Senpai?" The girl asked again a second later.

"Sure."

"You were asleep, but I don't see why you'd sleep in the hall." The girl wondered.

"Did I sleep here?" I repeated her question in my mind. Another glance of the area, I definitely wasn't at the entrance after thinking with a clearer mind.

"Yes, and soundly at that. Sleep that's sound enough for me to want to put it into a textbook."

I'm escorted to go further down in the passageway, we stopped at a bench area with a vending machine beside it. Once the young girl set me down, she headed to the machine and pushed for a drink.

Returned with a mineral water bottle, I took the handed bottle and mouthed a quiet 'thanks' to her. Without ado, I twisted open and gulp it down as though I never drank for days.

In silence as she watched, I drank finish the whole bottle and heaved a sigh. She queried to him, "Are you feeling better, Senpai?"

"Yeah, thanks for the help. I appreciate it." I nodded with a smile. But, there was still fatigue within me. My lips showed a tired and weak smile. "When I got here, I remember undergoing some kind of simulation…"

"The Spiritron Dive, Right? If you're not used to it, it might put a lot of stress on the brain."

"My head is still pounding." I said by holding my head because of my dizziness

"Fou is the one who found you here on the floor, unable to regain your consciousness. Those are the details."

"Fou?" I asked in confusion

"Fou! Kyuuu~! Kao!" The white squirrel creature squeaked and went to its companion.

"I completely forgot. I still haven't introduced you yet, have I, Fou-san?" She turned back to me and introduced, "This squirrel-like creature is Fou-san.

"He's a Privileged Life-Form allowed to walk freely around Chaldea. Fou-san led me here, and that's how I ran into you, Senpai."

With a nod of understanding from me, Fou squeaked, "Fou. Mmkyu, Fou!"

Fou jumped off from the girl and ran off to somewhere. As she noticed my curious expression, she answered, "He ran off somewhere again. He does that sometimes, just walks around."

"I've never seen an animal like that," I said, turning his focus back to her.

"Yes, he normally doesn't go near anyone aside from me, but he seems to like you, Senpai."

"Heh." Wait, a second caretaker? "Umm, Eeh!"

"Congratulations. Now you shall be the second caretaker of Fou-san in Chaldea."

At her smile, I returned with a wry smile. "I'm not sure if I'm honored to be a caretaker…. Ah, that's right!"

"By the way, are Senpai selected people with potential became Master which they gather to do Rayshift experiment" the girl asked.

"Ah, yes. They said, I'm qualified for creating contract with Servant. So they invite me here" I explained the reason I'm here "By the way, what's Rayshift-ing?"

Blinked his eyes in shock, the girl queried, "Have you come here without knowing what you're going to do?" she responded with another question.

"Well, they were very passionate about inviting me here." Ritsuka chuckled.

If i tell, how 'they' inviting me? It would be hilarious.

"That's a new one"

"Really?" I cannot help but to chuckle

"Chaldea is research facility and observatory that gathers researchers of every stripe, from sorcery to science, all for the purpose of continuing the history of humankind for as long and strong as possible." She starting explaining with serious tone in her voice.

"Our top researchers have developed Chaldeas, a global environmental model."

"Chaldeas?" Ritsuka prodded.

"It was proposed that planets had souls, so this miniature Earth was replicated to reflect that soul. "As long as the light of civilization burns in Chaldeas, humanity is guaranteed to last at least for another 100 years." But the light has suddenly begun to die."

"Which means…"

"If the light disappears, that means civilization will come to an end. According to our observations, the human race becomes extinct in December 2016." the bespectacled girl added.

"What?! Humanity will extinct… In 2016?!" I just can believe what i just heard. End of Humanity? in one year from now on?

A grim expression showed on the bespectacled girl face as she went on, "A close examination of the information has revealed anew abnormality. That's Spatial Singularity F. We dicovered from 2004 to 2016 CE, there was a suburban city in Japan that was an "unobservable area" and did not exist in history. Chaldea assumed this is the cause of humanity's extinction, and proposed the Rayshift experiment to United Nations, which received approval. Rayshift turns humans into Spriritrons and sends them back into the past intervene in certain events. In other words, it's like time travel. By this means, we can transfer to the past and invetigate the cause of the future's disappearance, then destroy it. And that is the idea behind Rayshift, which Chaldea is trying to conduct."

"I was invited to join something that incredible?!"

"Suprised?"

"Yeah… so time travel is possible now?…. Ah, that's right!"

I outstretched my hand to her, I introduced myself, "I'm Fujimaru Ritsuka. Ritsuka is just fine. I didn't make a good first impression, but please take care of me."

Examined my hand for a moment, she looked to see the friendly smile on me. A moment later, she took his hand and smiled, "Please take care of me too, Ritsuka-senpai."

"Senpai, huh..?" I wondered with curiosity after being constantly addressed as that title. "How long have you been here?"

"Here… 2 Years"

"Then you're the "Senpai", right?"

"No, everyone is a "Senpai" to me."

"What's your name?"

"Huh?"

"Don't tell me you're "not someone worth mentioning" okay?"

"My name is…"

"Mash. Mash Kyrielight"

However, it wasn't her voice that speaks.

"Ah, that's where you were, Mash. That won't do, you know, wandering around without permission…"

"Profesor Lev"

As I turned around, an unknown top green hat man with dark prune long messy haired man and eyes closed approached us.

"The briefing on the Master potentials is about to begin. Come quickly to the control room."

The man nodded in understanding, "I see, you're the rookie who just got assigned here. I'm Lev Lainur. one of the technicians employed here. And your name is?"

"Fujimaru Ritsuka pleased to meet you," Ritsuka answered.

"Hm, Ritsuka-kun," Raised his right hand up, the wristwatch on his wrist showed a holographic identity card of me. "So you're the last of the 48 candidates invited here.

"Welcome to Chaldea. I'm glad you're here. I heard you was selected out of many public applicants, how long was the training?

Despite it's a polite question he asked with a matching smile, I flinched. I smiled and said, "Um… Well, I'm selected no doubt as you said…"

"But, I got 30 minutes to zero experience. Considering both of us stalked by your staff in pressuring us to join," Ritsuka thought. A strong temptation he had to give that honest reply.

But, I added, "I'll leave that to your imagination."

Lev chuckled and raised one of his brows amusedly, "I see that you already know how competitive it is in here. You're going to hide your info from your rivals?"

"No, I'm not doing any training. I was suddenly selected and told to immediately decide whether I wanted to join or not."

"Oh? Well, now… I see, In other words, a complete amateur?" Lev asked.

With the cat out of the bag, I flinched and sigh to concede. I nodded and said, "you're right. I have no experience and lack of training too for this job."

"From what I can gather from your story, it went something like this, right?"

"You happened to be going for a blood donation when you were followed to your home by some man. And the moment you reluctantly agreed to a request from that man, he put an eye mask and headphones on you. And you were brought to Chaldea like that."

Well, that was… hilarious wasn't it? I was about to make a little chuckle if not because of Mash's reaction.

"That's definitely kidnapping! You would without a doubt lose in a trial" she snapped

"You're exactly right, Mash. Let's apologize!" Lev also giving an over-reaction. Are these people are normal?

"Uu…" I don't know what I have to say

"Oh? " Lev nodded in understanding and explained. "We had an emergency opening for applicants to fill out numbers. So you're one of them."

"That's right," I answered with nodded in agreement.

"So, you was part of them? Do forgive me, I was inconsiderate," Lev apologized, but, he showed towards me an assured smile. "But please don't be discouraged because you are a public applicant. We need all of you for this mission.

"38 elite mages, 10 talented public applicants and some special recommendations. Somehow, we were able to gather all possible candidates. That's something to rejoice over. This year, 2016, all possible candidates capable of Spiriton Dives were brought to Chaldea.

"If there's something you don't understand, feel free to ask Mash or myself anytime."

At that friendly smile, I brightened up with a smile. "Thank you for the help, Prof Lev," I replied with a small bow.

"Hmm? Come to think of it, what were you talking about with him, Mash?" Lev now turned his focused on the bespectacled girl, rubbing his chin. "That's not like you. Did you know each other before?"

"No, I'd never met Ritsuka-senpai before. I saw Ritsuka-senpai sleeping here, so I just…" Mash shook her head.

"Sleeping? Ritsuka-kun was asleep, here?" Lev's tone laced with complete surprised and astounded.

"That simulation from earlier had worn me, but…" Ritsuka let another yawn escaped his lips. "I didn't think they'd drained out of most of my energy."

Realized what I meant, Lev interjected, "Ahh, you went through the simulation when you entered, right?"

From the nod of my head, Lev showed an assured smile again, "Spiriton Dives can get to you if you're not used to them. After the simulation, the gate must've opened, and you walked over here before you returned to consciousness. It's a type of sleep-walking. When you fell, Ritsuka-kun, that was when Mash spoke to you."

Nodded his head, Ritsuka acknowledged, "Well, that makes sense… Mashu also said the same thing"

"Except, for that weird guy. How did he know I was sleep-walking?" Ritsuka wondered in his mind but left that for later. As he stood up, a dizzy spell hit into his head. Before he collapsed to the ground, Mash caught hold both of his shoulders.

"Senpai, are you really okay?!" Mash is asked with a worried tone.

I shook his head and smiled, "Yeah. Maybe sitting for too long was a bad idea."

The pale color of his face and the weak smile didn't convince anyone. Lev approached me and said, "You seem to be fine as you said, but I'd like to take you to the infirmary just in case…"

Before Lev could take my arm, a beeping alarm sounded from his watch. He raised and look at his watch, and his brows furrowed after what he had read. Lev faced back to me and said, "Sorry, hang in there a little longer. The Director's orientation is about to start. You should hurry over."

"Director?" Ritsuka repeated.

"The Director's the director. The person in charge of Chaldea, and the commander of our special missions. Since you're a rookie from the public, you may have only seen the pamphlet?" Lev explained.

At my nods, Mash nodded in understanding, "It would appear so. Since the Director's profile hasn't been made public. Senpais has no connection to the Director. Only mages from families that have been around for a century show respect to the Animusphere names."

"Well, whether you know the Director or not, it doesn't affect your work as a Master, so it's not a problem. But it's good to not get on her bad side. If you wish to work in a peaceful environment, better hurry."

"H-Hang on! What's this orientation about in the first place?" I clarified quickly, noticing both Mash and Lev were about to walk off.

Lev stopped and turned to Ritsuko, explained, "I almost forgot, do forgive me. The orientation is to greet the Master candidates assigned here today like the you, Ritsuka-kun.

"In other words, it's for the big boss to welcome the careless newbies. Since the Director is not the type to forgive and forget if you show up late, you'll be on her radar for the entire year. The orientation begins in five minutes in the Central Command Room. Go straight down this hall. Hurry."

"R-Right, thanks!"

Noticed the worried expression remained on Mash's face, Mash turned to Lev, "Dr. Lev, do you think I'll be allowed to sit in on the orientation, too?"

"Hmm? Well, if you stand back way in a corner, I think she'll look the other way." Lev answered as a memory flashed in mind, but also gained curiosity at her request, "But why?"

Mash turned her head to the me. "I just thought I should help Senpai by bring Senpai to the Command Room. It's possible he would have trouble that Senpai might fall asleep on the way again."

The professor brows furrowed with worry. "Hmm… If I leave you alone like this the Director might yell at me… I should tag along, eh?"

Decided to another smile, Lev said, "Well, if that's what you want to do, Mash, go ahead. You okay with that, Ritsuka-kun?"

"A-Ah, yes!" I turned to Mash and bowed her head, "Thank you for the help, I'll be in your care then, Mash…" I gave a weak smile as thanks to the bespectacled girl.

With a nod, Lev spoke, "Let's head to the command room, shall we?"

Mash put one of my arm over her shoulder. The two followed Lev leading them with a brisk walk at a careful pace.

Inside the elevator going downwards, I looked at the exterior in awe.

My eyes sparkled in amazement, while my mouth gaped in surprise.

The large globe and holographic technology used were far different from their daily lives.

But, what amazed me was that there was Chaldea staff levitating and moving objects without physical energy.

Watching them as I reacted and chatted the other with bright smiles, Lev chuckled and called to my attention. "Before we head in, is there anything else you want to know?"

At that question, I turned and pondered. But, I already had a question I have been wondering, asked, "Why is Mash calling me Senpai?"

The said culprit remained silence, looking at me with a blank expression. Despite that, there was a faint embarrassed blush on her cheeks. Lev stepped in and assured, "Oh, don't worry about it. To her, every human your age is her senpai.

"But it's unusual to hear her actually call someone that. This might be the first time. Actually, I'm intrigued," Lev turned his head to her and asked, "Say, Mash, why do you call them Senpai?"

"The reason?" Lowered her head, Mash paused for a moment before replying. "Senpai is the most human-like person I've ever met."

A surprised reaction shared among Lev and me. Lev prodded with more curiosity, "Hmm. Which means?"

Mash glanced at me and corrected with a smile, "I don't feel threatened. So, there's no reason for me to be hostile."

"I see, that is important!" Lev gave a nod of understanding and laughed. "There are all kinds of people with one or two quirks in Chaldea after all! I agree with Mash's opinion. I get the feeling that I can become good friends with you"

* * *

 **Briefing room  
3rd Person POV **

Inside the place, there was a stage with rows of seats filled up with recruited Master candidates.

On the stage, a silvery-haired woman standing and waiting for the last vacant spots to fill finished.

"We made it. Senpai's number is…" As they arrived, Mash gave a swift glimpse and turned to them. "Single digit, in the front row. To think that you will be seated right in front of the Director, what spectacular bad luck you have."

A glance to examine every seat was occupied, the silvery-haired woman talked, "Well, that wasn't on time, but looks like we're all here now. Welcome to Special Organization, Chaldea. I'm the director, Olga Marie Animusphere.

"You have been selected or discovered from each nation for the rare talent you possess.

"By talent, I mean the potential to do a Spiriton Dive.

"Even so, understand that all of you are still merely fresh newcomers.

"This place, Chaldea. Is under my jurisdiction.

"I care not about what family or achievements you have outside.

"First thing you need to remember is that my orders are absolute. No objections will be entertained.

"You possess magical circuits and the qualifications to become a Master.

"That being said, it's a special talent, but you yourselves are not special people. Make yourselves aware that you are no more than tools whose sole purpose is to protect humankind's history."

With no less than a second, gossips chatter among the recruits.

"Geez…"

"Tools?"

"What does that mean?"

Meanwhile, Shirou Emiya, Ayaka Sajyou, Illyasviel von Einzbern, and Gray whose sitting at the back line chairs.

" _She…_ " Gray thought

"… _reminds me…_ " Illyasviel thought

" _THAT PERSON!_ " Shirou recall Rin Tohsaka, while Ayaka recall Misaya Reiroukan in their thoughts

While the other Master Candidate wearing Chaldea Mystic Codes, Shirou and his companions still wears their usual clothing. In Gray case, she refuses to show her face to other people, especially (currently) Shirou Emiya. Who has relationships with the King Arthur.

"Silence!" Olga shouted to attendance to make them silent

"If you don't like what I have to say, leave Chaldea immediately!" she added

No one is replied

"Fine then. Chaldea has never seen this many…" Olga didn't finish her statement as she noticed one of the Master Candidates

"Senpai? You don't looks so good" asked Mash

"This is bad… I'm getting drowsy again…

I have to stay awake… awak- – **—**

Zzzzz…"

In less than a second, Ritsuka's vision turned black and the voices surrounding drowned into nothingness.

Olga decided to approach Ritsuka and inspect him.

"Number 48… Commoner's Block…"

Lev who saw the scene putting expression that says "this is going to be interesting".

Olga who getting to her nerves, without further a do, she kicked Ritsuka out of briefing room.

Mash decided to follows Ritsuka out to guide him to his own room.

"Why?" Ritsuka asked to question his own mistake

"You've been left out of the first mission, Senpai. I planned to take you back to your room," With a smile, she saluted the way with her hand, "Let's go, Senpai."

"Senpai, do you have questions before we moved to the mission?" Mash asked as she turned to him while going down the corridor.

Closed his eyes for a moment to contemplate, Ritsuka turned to her and replied, "The Director had pointed out about this magic circuit earlier… What is it, really?"

"A simple question, thank you. A magic circuit is a pseudo-nervous system that spreads itself through the human body. This magic circuit is what qualifies a person to be a mage and Master."

Mash nodded to herself, she went on. "The normal functions are to act as paths that convert Life Force into magical energy, to learn how to control it and use it to perform Magecraft."

"I see," Ritsuka nodded as she understood her answer. But, she paused in her tracks which made Mash curious upon why. She grasped hold of Mash's shoulders and shouted, "I'm capable to perform magic? We're just ordinary people, how could we be Mages?!"

"Yes, Senpai. In the world of Magecraft, an ability is a given, but lineage says a lot as well." Mash was unfazed by the astonished reaction of the candidate and went on. "The Director is the head of the Animuspheres, a distinguished family of Mages.

"She indeed has a strong predilection for bloodlines.

"Many potential Masters were needed after moving the Rayshift's experimental stage to practical use.

"But only a handful of Mages had that potential."

"So that's why ordinary people like me were so aggressively recruited," Ritsuka nodded again to himself. But, the distasteful memory of what she told caused her shudder in fear.

Mash's head bowed down a little, she asked in a quiet tone, "Will you leave Chaldea? Because of what Director did…?"

"Well, nothing has decided for sure yet." she reassured.

"Right now, I'll do what I can here. And leaving like this would be frustrating."

At his grin, Mash returned a smile back, "I understand, then I'm glad, Senpai."

They stop at corridor with glass window

"As high as we are above the ground, we can't see one bit of the blue sky."

"6000m above sea level was it? It's pure white out there is it always like this, a Blizzard?" Ritsuka asked

"Yes you can't see the blue sky from here." Mash replied

"Blue sky, huh? If you spend two years up here, I guess you wouldn't get a chance to see it, huh?"

Then, Ritsuka noticed a sad expression on Mash

"Once things settle down a bit, you should go on a trip or something. Being cooped up in a place like this all year would bring anyone down." said Ritsuka as he try to cheer Mash

" _this person knows of a world that I'll never experience"_

At a room's entrance in the passageway, Mash walked ahead to bring Ritsuka to their destination. Once reached, she turned around and announced, "We've reached our destination. This is your room, Ritsuka-senpai."

"Thanks for coming all this way, Mash," Ritsuka smiled and bowed at her.

As Mash shook her head she acknowledged with a smile, "It's fine. If you ask me, Senpais, I wouldn't mind even if it's treating you to lunch."

"I'm fine, you'll participate in the mission, right, Mash?"

"Yes, Which is why I must leave now." she bowed and take her leave.

"Mash" Ritsuka shout her name and she turn back

"Um… be careful"

"Understood, Senpai." Mash replied and turned to leave as Ritsuka entered the room.

"She's kind of an interesting girl."

After bidding goodbye Mash, Ritsuka entered his room. Taking a brief nap dashed off when he spotted with a deadpan face. The orange pinkish-colored messy ponytail haired man with green eyes stared back at him.

He was sitting on his bed with a laptop sitting on one of his folded legs. One of his white-gloved hands was carrying a half-eaten strawberry cake, the other holding a fork into his mouth. With the tea set, he had made comfortably well on his bed to unwind.

"E-Excuse me…" Ritsuka asked, still struggling to take in the sight he's looking at. A crew of Chaldea was casually relaxing in his room.

"Yes… Come in…" The orange pinkish-haired man replied.

"Ah… Hah…"

Ritsuka stood there in silence as observing the man turned back to his laptop. The only noise that reverberated in the surrounding was a bright and peppy song with words of 'Magi*Mari' recurred.

A minute again, that said man turned back with his eyes widened in panic. He cried while pointed his fork at Ritsuka, "G-G-Guaah! Who are you?!"

The immediate reaction made Ritsuka jumped and landed his rear on the ground with a loud smack. As a groan slipped from his lips, the ponytail haired man proclaimed, "This is my 'hooky hangout'!"

At much of struggling to sound intimidating, Ritsuka remained impassive and stared at him. As he realized, the ponytail man faced aside with a vexed frown on his lips. "Who gave you the permission to come in?"

" _Someone's that not your supervisor to catch you slacking off the job_ ," Ritsuka thought as he exhaled a sigh.

He came closer to the bedside and explained in a respectful manner, "I was informed that this was my room…"

"Your room? This place? Oh," As the ponytail man realized, he lifted his hand that wore a wristwatch in front of Ritsuka. After the holographic identification card showed, he gave himself a face-palm for that outburst. "So, the last kid finally showed up…"

"Well, who are you?" Ritsuka's eyebrows furrowed as he inquired for the identity of the strange crew.

"Nice to meet you, Fujimaru-kun. Didn't think I would run into you like this, but," The ponytail man faced Ritsuka and presented himself. "I'm the head of the medical department, Romani Archaman. For some reason, people just call me Dr. Roman.

"I don't know why, but it's easier to pronounce, so go ahead and call me Roman. Fact is, Roman has a nice ring to it, no? It sounds cool and vaguely sweet."

"Head?!" At the pleasant friendly grin, Ritsuka froze on the spot at how screwed he was. The childish behavior caused him thought otherwise before introducing. But, he bowed. "S-Sorry to bother you when you're taking a break…!"

"No, not at all. Really, I'm just a run-of-the-mill doctor." Romani laugh while waving his hands to ensure the young candidate. At the friendly grin on his face, Ritsuka couldn't help but noticed the warmth that came out from the doctor. Unconsciously, he uttered in an audible volume, "The fluffy type, huh…"

"Fluffy?" Romani tilted his head.

Realized what he did, a crimson blush of embarrassment colored Ritsuka's cheek. "S-Sorry, That's a slip of my tongue there. Just ignore it, Dr. Roman…!"

"It's fine," Romani chuckled. He brought a free hand up to stroke his ponytail hair. "If it's about my hair, I'm normally pretty busy so I just let it grow."

"I see…" As Ritsuka nodded, he exhaled a relief in his mind. Though that wasn't what he implied, it's good the doctor didn't grab hold of the meaning. Else, he's digging his own grave in making his first day here worse.

Romani set his plate of cake on the bed and shifted back to Ritsuka. "By the way, isn't the Rayshift starting soon? I heard all Master candidates were involved with that."

Ritsuka raised his hand to the back and rubbed his head. "Actually…"

But, a laughter interrupted by the doctor. Romani grabbed a bundle of paper towel headed to the sink to soak it. "A-Anyway, I think get what's going on. You're the rookie who just got here then got on the Director's bad side?"

Recognized that Romani's green eyes examined at the particular area, Ritsuka realized the stinging pain subsided and put a wry smile, "Yeah…"

Romani approached him and stuck the warm wet towel on his red hand printed cheek. "Here. This should ease the swelling. Apply and leave it for 15 minutes every day, and it should disappear."

"Thank you, Doctor Roman." Ritsuka acknowledged and adjusted towel so it covered more of the area.

Romani grinned back and flexed his hand. A chair from opposite the bed pulled over and paused in front of the bed. With the doctor's gesture, Ritsuka gave another nod and sat.

As the doctor turned to the espresso machine and pick up two cups, he said in a cheery tone,

"Then you and I are alike. Just so you know, I got yelled at by her too."

"Is that so…?"

Romani nodded assuredly and brought a mug to Ritsuka who uttered a 'thanks'. "Since all the staff has been sent to help out, I had nothing to do. My job is to look after everyone's health, but the machines are more accurate at reading the vitals of the mages who are in the Coffins."

"The Director said," Romani turned to the side and imitated Olga Marie's posture. "'When you're here, Romani, everyone slacks off!' Then, she threw me out. So I've been sulking here."

The sad pout turned into a lively grin on Romani, spun back to Ritsuka. "But that's when you showed up. This is what they called a blessing in disguise right. Since we both have nowhere to go. Why don't we spend some time and deepen our friendship!"

Romani's eyes closed with a large grin made Ritsuka stared at him for a minute. Seconds later, he laughed and admitted, "Sure, this is my room, so why not?"

"Yeah. So that means I'm visiting a friend's room! Woo hoo! I've made a new friend!" Romani raised his cup and announced, "To a new friendship?"

The infectious smile made Ritsuka beamed and acknowledged, "To our friendship, Dr. Roman."

Clang

Two cups knocked against each other, Romani pulled his back to down the hot chocolate.

* * *

Back to the time right after Ritsuka was kicked out

Olga continues her explanation. Overall, her explanation was what has been told Mash to Ritsuka.

"… Do you understand now? Today is the day. The day where Chaldea will leave the mark of a grand achievement in humanity's history. The discovery of knowledge. Founding of religions. Acquisition of naval technology. Advancements on information technology. Space exploration. We will leave an achievement that is comparable to the [Pionners of Stars]. No, one that exceeds even that. We will not be a mere stepping stone in the development of civilizations. We will be the hands of God whom protects them. We will stabilize all anomalies in human history, and take measures to revolutionize the future. We will watch over humanity's evolution process from the primates. In other words, we will observe and ensure the continued progression of humanity. That is Chaldea's, and now your very own raison d'etre.

"Chaldea has achieved countless breakthroughs to date, such as the magical device used to monitor the past, Laplace.

"Chaldean Projection, which displays a model of Earth's environment.

"Completion of the Future Observation Lens, Shiva.

"Heroic Spirit summoning system, the Fate Construct,

"and the launch of the Spiritual Computator, Trismegistus.

" With the help of these technology, we at Chaldea have observed humanity's progress hundreds of years into the future. We are not predicting the future, merely observing it. Just like observing the constellations, Chaldea has been watching the future. Whatever the future holds, our job is to ensure that even hundreds of years later, humanity will continue progressing. Please look up. This is Chaldea's greatest achievement to date-

Every attendant look up at a huge Blue world globe that span 60 metres. Although, it look like a 'world globe' somehow, it feels too real

"Created with the use of advanced magical theories, a projection Earth's environmental model, this is Chaldea. This is the definition of this planet's soul, a miniature Earth made with it's very soul. Because of the difference in stage and scale, we are unable to observe humanity's perception and knowledge. But everything on the surface, the land, the brightly lit cities. Those can be observed through Shiva. Its current state is set to reflect hundreds of years from now. This Chaldea may very well be the future of Earth itself.

"" As long as the light of civilization remains lit within Chaldea, humanity's presence for hundreds of years to come is guaranteed." I mean, as long as the lights are lit, it would mean that cities are functioning, people are living, and that civilization is progressing.

" But- Lev, Normalize Shiva's polarization angle.

Chaldeas turn its color from bright blue to grayscale.

"As you can see, six months ago, Chaldea turned into such a state. Future observations have become a difficult task. The light of civilization which had shown so brightly so far. Most of it have become unobservable to us.

"Yes. There being no light means that civilization has stopped functioning. This is a matter of utmost secrecy, but you reserve the right to know. According to our observations, the last observable civilization activity is on July 2016-

" Which means that there is a chance humanity will fall on December of 2016. No, it is guaranteed to happen. Needless to say, this shouldn't be possible. It is physically impossible for a global extinction to happen in such a short time span. There is no notable economic collapse, nor is there any major seismic activity. Humanity just stopped functioning one day.

" For the past 6 months, we have been studying the cause of this anomaly- The cause of this mass human extinction.

" If the cause does not lie in the present, then it must be in the past. We have, with the use of Laplace and Trismegistus, analyzed 2000 years into the past and have gathered the required information. We have looked for events which didn't match up with our current history, events that shouldn't have happened on our current Earth. As a result, we have observed some anomalous events taking place here-

"Spatial Singularity F. Year 2004 AD, in a city within Japan.

"Here, we discovered an "Unobservable Area" which did not exist as of 2015 in our history. Chaldea labelled this as a potential cause of humanity's eradication, and have carried out Rayshifting experiments with approval by the United Nations.

" Rayshifting is the process of converting a human into spiritual form, and transferring them into the past to intervene with certain events.

" Simply put, it is like time travelling into the past, but this can only be done by certain individuals.

" It is a journey only for Master candidates with superior Magical Circuits.

" Well then- I believe everyone has gotten a gist of the situation. Your mission will be to investigate this Singularity Point F.

" Traverse into Japan 15 years ago, locate the anomaly which will cause humanity's extinction, and destroy it.

" This is an unprecedented mission. We do not know what will be waiting on the other side.

" However, this shouldn't be an issue for all of you who have been chosen from across the globe. I place all of our hopes on you.

" The upper levels have demanded a swift investigation on this matter. We do not have time to spare.

" We will begin our Rayshifting experiment an hour from now. I believe you have received enough practice in virtual training.

" The first stage will be carried out by Team A, made up of 8 of the top scorers, which will be sent to Singularity Point F.

" The subsequent teams have not been deployed yet, but they are made up of Master candidates chosen by Chaldea.

" Team A has been in operation since a month ago. They can be considered fully-fledged soldiers.

" Team A will form the front lines in Singularity Point F. They will take charge of the base camp's construction to ensure the safety of the subsequent teams.

" Teams B and beyond will monitor their activity while preparing to deploy for stage 2.

" Let's get started with the individual registration process for the human spiritualization converters, the Klein Coffins.

" They are bound to one person only, so sharing is impossible. Please utilize your own Coffins carefully.

" Teams B through D, standby in your Coffins as soon as registrations are complete. You will be the fallback team in case anything happens to Team A.

" -Do you still have something to say? I have explained everything that you need to know. Since you have responded to the Master candidate recruitment, you are nothing more than soldiers now. Follow orders, and be prepared for battle at all times. Don't make me repeat things like this. Or do you still have questions? I will grant you the privilege of asking one question. You look puzzled, do you have any complaints?

A hand rose from the back line. It was Shirou's hand

"Um… in the first place, is time travel by using just Magecraft is even possible? Is it in True Magic territory? Furthermore, won't there be problem changing the past?" Shirou asked because he need to ask this because he remember someone who want to change the past once.

"You…Shouldn't you understand from the moment I mention 'Singularity'? The singularity we have discovered does not exist within our recorded history. It's as if a hole has opened up within the timeline, a hole that is separate from the regular temporal axes. The Singularity on the year 2004 exists independent of the past and future. There will be no interference to the anteroposterior axes. What's more, the Shift technology is much more reliable than time travelling. There is no need for restitution from the interventions. If all of humanity's history is a dress, this Singularity will be a stain on it. A speck of hideousness staining what is otherwise beautiful. And all of you are tasked with the removal of this stain. And thus returning humanity's history back on the path in line with our previous observations.

" ...Geez. What is the Association thinking, sending someone clueless about even the basics of space-time theory. I've even stressed that this mission will be of the highest possible designation within the magic world.

"Lev! Lev Lainur!"

"I'm here, director. Why are you so loud, did anything go wrong?"

" Of course something is wrong, as usual! It doesn't matter. Get this amateur out of my sight immediately!"

"Ah... So this is the problem. But director, he too, is a chosen Master candidate. Undoubtedly he has less experience than the others, but handling this issue with such harshness is not advised..."

"Throwing a green amateur into the midst of such a mission is what's not advised! Will you take responsibility if something happens to Chaldea!?"

" Enough. Take him to Dr. Romani. Pace him through basic training, at the very least!"

" ...Ugh. I loath to do this, but there's nothing else I can do. Let's follow her orders for the moment."

"Onii-chan, wait for me!" Ilya jump out from the chair. Followed by, Ayaka and Gray. Before Gray truly leaves the briefing room, she looks back at Olga for a moment and finally leaves.

Then, they go to their section rooms, Shirou and Ilya's rooms are next to each other, while Ayaka and Gray at different sections.

"I'm sorry. But, I have to oversee the Rayshift preparations. Don't worry, this experiment will only take two hours at most. I will pay you a visit in your room afterwards." Said Lev as he quickly return to Control Room

* * *

-030 minutes had occurred since Ritsuka fired endless questions to Romani. It was to kill time while finding out further about their work here. He was glad Romani had been enthusiastic to reveal all he needed to learn.

Romani concluded his explanation, "And so, that's the structure of Chaldea.

"An underground workshop built on a snowy top mountain 6,000 meters above sea level–!"

Brrr… Brrr…

Romani's wristwatch lit up a flickering light. The doctor lifted up to look at the wristwatch flashed a holographic card of the caller ID from Lev and the symbol which read 'Sound only'.

Lev's voice said from the holographic, "Romani, we're going to start the Rayshift soon. Could you come in case there's an emergency?"

"Did something happen?"

"A-Team's in perfect condition, but B-Team on down is less experienced and they are displaying some slight abnormalities."

With a minor pause, Lev's voice proceeded, "It probably comes from anxiety. The inside of that Coffin is like a cockpit."

At Lev's worried tone, Romani's eyebrows furrowed. "Hey Lev, I feel bad for them. Why don't I give them some anesthesia?"

"Yeah, hurry, will you? If you're in the infirmary, then you can get here in two minutes."

"Okay!" Romani replied as the holographic vision returned inside his wristwatch.

Ritsuka who had been listening in from the start of the discussion, made a wry smile, "This isn't the infirmary, is it?"

Romani flinched and raised one of his fingers with a tense smile, "P-Please don't mention that…

It's gonna take five minutes from here, no matter what. A-And, I won't get in trouble for being a little late. Besides, it sounds like A-Team isn't having any issues."

Determined to turn aside from the awkward topic, Romani mentioned, "Oh, the man I was talking to…"

"Professor Lev, right?" Ritsuka grinned when Romani confirmed his words. "I met him earlier. He said he was an engineer here."

"An engineer? That was incredibly humble of him," Romani chuckled. "He's the mage who created the telescope to observe Chaldeas, the Near-Future Observation Lens, Sheba.

"A telescope used to watch that pseudo-planet, Chaldeas.

"Sheba not merely observes Chaldeas but also serves as a surveillance system for most of this facility.

"Also, it was the previous director is the one who established the summoning/unsummoning system, which is the foundation of the Rayshift tech.

"To actualize that theory, the Pseudo-Spiritron Calculation—basically a supercomputer—was provided by the Atlas Academy.

"All these extraordinary talents have been gathered to carry out this mission."

"A… Amazing…!" Ritsuka uttered in admiration.

Romani grinned at the young candidate reaction and stood. "It's pointless for an ordinary doctor like me to be there, but if I summoned, I must go, right?"

Shifted his head to Ritsuka, Romani said, "Thanks for chatting with me, Ritsuka-kun!"

"No, thank you too," Ritsuka said. He stood up on instinct to send Romani off.

As Romani turned his head, he suggested, "When you get settled in, come by the infirmary. Next time, I'll treat you to some yummy cake–!"

Boom! Click! Clack!

The explosion sound reverberated and lights blacked out.

"What is this?" Romani wary at the abrupt darkness in the room. Same goes for other Master candidates rooms

Ritsuka examined around and speculated, "A power outage?"

At his words, Romani turned over as he realized, "No, Chaldea shouldn't have any power outages."

In the next second, an electronic voice reported, "Emergency. Emergency. A fire has broken out in the Central Power Station and Central Command Room. Central Area's containment wall will activate in 90 seconds. All staff must evacuate from Gate 2 at once."

Both Romani and Ritsuka gasped in shock at the notice.

The latter repeated with astonishment in his tone, "Fires?"

"Command Room…?" Ritsuka muttered and the mug in his hand slipped. The sound of its content spilled out wasn't his primary attention. He realized as he recalled the individuals who had gone there for her mission…

"Mash!" The name shouted in Ritsuka's heart. He rushed out without hesitation.

Romani noticed and called out to him, "Hey!"

The doctor too hurried and followed Ritsuka to the same destination they were heading to.

Shirou who also heard the announcement decided to run as well to Command room. He running with his Reinforced Legs pass Ilya's Room.

Footsteps dashed across as quick as their legs could move along the passageway. The evacuating Chaldea staff running out from the two stated location didn't hinder them. Upon arriving at the gate, they dashed at the point it opened.

When arrived, they were met by the appearance of a war-zone. Rubbles of damaged roofs and walls scattered across the flooded room. As rubbles fallen to the ground, there were still fires blazing in different parts of the room.

"Horrible…" Ritsuka's voice mustered to mutter at the sight he witnessed.

Swallowed a gulp, Romani tilted his head high and commented, "Only Chaldeas is safe."

Followed his gaze, Ritsuka tilted his head high to examine the said black-colored globe remained untouched despite the casualties.

Romani turned his head and surveyed the area, "This was where the explosion originated.

"This was no accident, it was sabotage."

"What?" Ritsuka focused his attention to the doctor.

The electronic voice declared, "Generator operation stopped.

"Power level critical."

Both let out a small gasp and gaze at the black globe. Romani turned to the Command Room and exclaimed, "This is bad!"

Turned behind, Ritsuka gazed at the shattered glass broken by the explosion.

Despite the visible holographic screen running, the announcement continued, "Switch to the backup generator, error.

"Please make the switch manually."

Romani turned back to Ritsuka and declared, "I'm heading down to the underground power station."

As the doctor rushed off, Ritsuka turned and yelled, "Isn't it dangerous?!"

"We can't let Chaldea's light go out," Romani replied. He shifted to Ritsuka as the gate opened and advised. "Hurry and go back the way we came."

"Dr. Roman!" Ritsuka yelled in trying to stop him. But, Romani had rushed off to fulfill the task required to do. With the gate sealed, Ritsuka now left alone in the burning room. Shirou who just arrived pass Romani goes in unnoticed. By the time Romani turned, Shirou dashed in.

"Containment wall will close in 40 seconds.

"Those remain in Central Area, evacuate immediately–!"

Shirou noticed Ritsuka, shout at him "Hey, you're okay?!"

"I'm just arrived here!"

Shirou was staggered by the image of hell of fire burning everywhere. " _there are no survivor, only thing that is CHALDEAS?_ " a thought crossed in his mind when he noticed the burning Room

Ignored the announcement, Ritsuka had decided and sprinted forward. Hopped down and climbed up of each large debris, the sound of water splashing from his footsteps echoed the room. Ritsuka scanned from left to right and yelled, "Mash!"

Rushed past each of the broken glass pods, Ritsuka stopped and spotted a figure inside it. He examined closer and recognized that it was one of the Master candidates like him.

But by the shattered glass and their body position, they were unconscious from the explosion.

Feared for the worst result, Ritsuka dashed again once more but at a swifter pace. His head examined around as he yelled repeatedly, "Mash! Where are you?!"

Unknown to him, another robotic voice declared, "System switching to the final phase of Rayshift.

"Coordinates, AD 2004, January, 30th, Fuyuki, Japan."

"Fuyuki!" Shirou surprised by the revelation of Singularity F location " _an announcement? The experiment still proceeding? Even though there's no one alive left? No, that's wrong! Don't just give up! There might still be a survivor!"_

Shirou touch the ground and muttered an aria

"Trace… [begin] On! [synchronization]"

Shirou use Structural Grasp Magecraft, which allows him to understand the structure and design of objects as if he were viewing a blueprint. He finds there's three living individuals other than him "one is that guy, the other two must be survivors"

Caught his breath, Ritsuka scanned again and cried out, "Mash!"

"Fou! Fou!" A weak animal squeak echoed the room.

As Ritsuka and Shirou turned and rushed to the source of the voice, the electronic voice proceeded,

"Laplace's shifting protection established.

"Singularity's additional factor slot secured.

"Unsummon Program set.

"Please start final adjustments."

Stood above the massive debris, Ritsuka catching his breath met the origins of the voices.

Before them, Fou squeaking again and repeatedly to Mash who was trapped underneath a large debris. The two living survivors are Fou and Mash.

"Mash!" Ritsuka's voice yelled at her, getting her attention.

"S-Senpai …?" Mash muttered, mustering her energy to move.

Upon reaching, their eyes widened.

" _that wound...it's already…_ " Shirou thought when they found Mash

Accompanied his gaze, Ritsuka jaw fell and eyes enlarged. The pool of blood beneath her spread, dyeing her clothes in blood red. Also, her torso covered in dust and bruises with her broken glasses.

"Hang in there, I'll get you out now!" Ritsuka decided with a calm tone, swallowing a gulp.

"No, that's…" Mash weakly opposed, watching Ritsuka stood up and moved to the debris.

Shirou turned back to the debris and settled, "I'll help you too!"

"Okay, you pick up the other side!" Ritsuka ordered and knelt down.

As he reached the rubble, a burning pain scorched both his palms. Ritsuka pulled back and grimaced. It earned a worried expression from Shirou, "are you okay?!"

"I'm fine," Ritsuka assured, stretching his sleeves down to protect both his palms. Shirou also did the same and adds Reinforcement at his sleeves.

Ritsuka grabbed hold of the debris, and attempt to remove away from Mash. The attempt in doing so made Mash protested further, "It's all… right. You can't… save… me. Don't mind me, please… Run."

"And you're coming with me, Mash!" Ritsuka groaned, focusing all his power on his arms.

Shirou nodded and agreed, mustering from her trembling hands to pick up the debris. "That's right. We will not leave you here like this…! We'll pull you out of here… And find help….!"

Mash weakly shook her head and insisted once more. "Please… Just run! There's no–!"

"Forget it! I'm not leaving you here and that's final!" Ritsuka objected with a resolved expression. The pair drew a deep breath, and attempt to lift the large rubble again. Because even one life is precious.

While doing so, a robotic voice abruptly announced, "Warning all observation staff.

"Chaldeas' state has changed."

Turned to the globe, Mash gasped as her purple orbs widened. The Chaldea globe changed from earlier charcoal black, to an intense burning red globe. The announcement went on, "Now rewriting Sheba's near-future prediction data.

"Unable to detect the existence of mankind 100 years in the near-future on Earth.

"Unable to confirm human survivors.

"Unable to guarantee mankind's future."

"Chaldeas… Has turned bright red," Mash muttered. She shook her head then said, "No, never

mind, that–!"

"Central Area, sealed."

THUMP! CLICK!

As it announced, the echo of a large shutter landed on the ground accompanied by a click. The announcement followed up thereafter. "180 seconds till internal containment procedure."

"It closed… The gate, they closed it," Ritsuka muttered.

"They shut off, the area. Now, we can't, get out," Mash bowed her head and murmured,

"Senpais… I'm sorry. Because of me…"

Ritsuka shook his head and came back, "No, it's…"

With a wry grin to himself, Ritsuka assured to her. "We'll figure it out."

Sat on the ground before Mash, Ritsuka asked, "Are you okay?"

Mash gave a weak nod and smile, "Yes… Thank you…"

The robotic voice announced, "Coffin vitals: Masters.

"Baseline not reached."

"Senpais…" Mash muttered with her head bowed down.

"Hm?" Ritsuka moved his orbs to the bespectacled girl.

"We'll figure this out," Ritsuka reassured again. Though their present state caused him doubt their chances of getting out alive.

Another robotic voice indicated, "Rayshift requirement not met.

"Searching for qualifying Master…"

"Um… Sen… Pais…?"

At Mash's call again, he saw her hand reaching out to him . She showed a shaky beam and requested, "I'm sorry. Would you mind…. Holding my hand?"

"Found," The electronic voice announced.

"Sure," Ritsuka responded, dusting his hands onto his shirt before grasping lightly of his right hand to her left.

Unknown to the three, the electronic voice announced, "Candidate No. 48, Fujimaru Ritsuka reset as Master. Candidates No. EX Emiya Shirou

"Kyuu!" Fou squeaked, noticing that the place rumbled.

Rubbles from roof started to fall to the ground. The resounding impact it made didn't cower them or the electronic voice as it went on, "Unsummon Program, start. Spiritron Conversion, Start.

Rayshift starting in 3. 2. 1.

"All procedures clear.

"First Order, commencing operation."

The last words they heard before their vision went black accompanied by a vortex of blue light.

* * *

 **And Voila! There you go. 10k words! I hope I didn't miss anything, I feels this chapter like Hans Cristian Andersen NP. This chapter is made of mixture of game's dialogues, FGO first order anime, FGO first take Drama CD, Turas realta & mortalis stella manga, and even FGO: Destiny Awakening fanfic by Kazushin14, there's also scene from Fate/Strange fake, and Garden of Avalon **

**My next chapters will be full original ideas for the plot, some of the dialogue may Copy Paste, but not all of them and shorter, 10k words was a hell**

 **If anyone is asking "why Shirou's number was EX? If you checked 27 DAA, Michael Roa Valdamjong's Number was also EX.**

 **By the way, the scene Shirou asking Olga reminds me Endgame lol XD**

Next Chapter: First Order - Singularity F


	3. Chapter 0-2 First Order

**Like I was said each time I write a chapter, it feels like Hans NP(requires high motivation for high results).**

 **My luck is went better I got my first gold Saber 4* Rama, Lancer 4* Medusa Lily(just add Stheno and Gorgon siblings are complete), Archer 4* EMIYA(he's truly useful against Siegfried during Nerofest)**

 **My targets currently Arthuria(any class), Atalanta(Archer), Scathach(Lancer), Heracles(Berserker), Helena Blavatsky(Caster)**

 **My FGO ID number: 933.691.522**

 **So ironic, if I was a NEET I might have plenty of time writing this Fanfic. But I'm not, I have a job.**

"Talk"

{communication through devices} italic if offscreen/voice only

[telepathic talk]

Narration

 _Thought_

 **Noble Phantasm**

'meaning'

* * *

Chapter 0-2:First Order - Singularity F

 **In the Garden of Avalon**

This strange place a gentle breeze, vast grasslands, and clear skies.

It is a Utopia that may not be granted to beasts which possess wisdom, one that may never be reached. It is a world cut off from the constant decay and destruction of the surface of the planet and, although it is nestled in human history, has no connection to other lands at all. Daytime is filled with spring's sunshine and the smell of summer; night is wrapped in the autumn air and stars of winter. It is where flowers of all colours bloom on gently sloping plains. A forest can be clearly seen in the far distance, enveloped by the overlooking sky; the view is evenly divided between the sky and the earth. There is no sign of human civilization in the lands. On earth there are countless flowers and bugs; in the forest there is water and green, and ethereally beautiful fairies lurk in the pond.

" _Let me tell you the story of… a young king."_

Standing in the field was someone entirely inhuman.

Merlin, the Magus of Flowers

And beside him was

"Wow! Amazing! please come take a look at this, Merlin!"

A girl-knight

Artoria Pendragon, a child born with the destiny to save the Isle of Britain, which was heading towards ruin due the fading of mystery. She is an "incarnation of the dragon", a red dragon who would protect Britain, created by the plan of the previous king, Uther, and the magus Merlin. As a result, her heart was replaced with a dragon's one, "Pendragon".

"a garden of flowers!"

Yes, anything in sight is nothing but, flowers

Carrying, a sheathed sword at her waist.

Caliburn, the holy sword that is the symbol of the king pulled from the stone of appointment by King Arthur under the guidance of Merlin. With the words "Whoso pulleth out this sword of this stone is right wise king of all England" engraved in a golden inscription on its hilt, it became the symbol of England's King of Knights once it was pulled from the stone.

But In this state, she is known as the Knight Princess, who wielded Caliburn as an inexperienced knight that had had just began walking down the path of a king.

Artoria turned her gaze to Merlin, who smiling watching her. while clenching some flower petals

"Garden of Avalon!" she shouted to surprised Merlin by throw away all flower petals into the air

"fufu" but, Merlin knows she will do that, "do you want to be a Magician?"

He proposed the idea to young King.

She smiled.

"No"

She rejected that idea, she pull her sword from its sheath and aimed to the sky.

With confidence she announce

"I'm going to be a King"

"well, it cannot be helped"

Merlin sighed

 _"—ber!"_ She hear a voice

"Merlin, that was… ?"

"Seems the time has come"

"then, Thank you, Merlin" she bowed

" _Thank you, Merlin. I am very grateful to you. You have been a great mentor for me."_ those words flowing in his mind, giving him a nostalgic yet recently memories.

"no need to say thank you for me, because your older self has already said to me"

"really? well, maybe I need to learn more from my older self. Alright, see you later, Merlin"

She waved her hand and turn around and running until she no longer can be seen

"'see you later' huh" he smiled

"well, I look forward to, if Fate… no, 'Fate' is a cruel word. 'Destiny' is a better word. Hmm, If Destiny permit us to meet. I want to talk about 'King' once more"

From here and forward, the Journey of Flowers is begin

* * *

 **Singularity F, Fuyuki**

After the blue vortex of light finally disappeared. I try to check my surrounding. It was the same hell that I once saw. A hell of fire, just like 10 years earlier before the 5th Holy Grail War.

But, there's one difference

No screaming, no voices of people pleading for their life.

To think about it, people around me earlier weren't here with me.

*beep* *beep*

My wristwatch started, I activated by tapping it

{Hello?}

{This is Chaldea control room. Can you hear me?!}

"Hello?! Hello?!" I try to respond to the voice

{Can you hear my voice!? If you can hear me, you have to immediately… }

Before he able finished his sentence. I saw a figure covered in shadow. It looked like humanoid with black skin and wore a white skull mask. He have a long stretched arm. It's…

{RUN AWAY}

A Servant!

I don't feel that shadow servant presence at all. It was coincidence, I was looking at the direction he came from. Instinctively, I try to run avoid that Servant who charging toward me. There's no way a mere Magus defeat a Servant.

My location isn't far from my old residence. So I decided to go there

When I arrived to my former residence. I felt the Bounded Field that covered this residence was damaged.

I take a breath while sitting in the residence.

{are you alright?}

The voice from my wristwatch communication call me again.

"I'm fine. But, I think, I'm not far from danger yet"

{I want to confirm few things}

{your name and are you with the other?}

"Shirou Emiya and no, I am alone when I got here"

On the other side, in Chaldea control room. Dr. Romani Archaman speak to the Comm link.

{it seems everyone were Rayshifted to random locations}

{can you do your best to stay alive?}

"I'll do my best"

Now, the problem is what I should do from here on.

This reminds me of that Lancer after me during that time.

" _Wait, that time? If I correctly remember I summoned Saber from the magic circle inside the warehouse. If I can reach ther-_ "

Hii

I quickly hide my face when I saw that Shadow Servant again. From my two encounter with him. That Servant must be an Assassin class Servant.

That Servant is approaching my position. As an Assassin who excel to hide his presence, he's must be know how to deal with someone hiding.

I took a moment when he land his strike. I'll try to run and make a run to the warehouse.

That Servant raised his hand to strike.

And when the dust from his strike creates a cover. I dashed out to the warehouse.

But, even a weak Servant like Assassin, they possess superhuman strength and speed.

With a speed of a Servant he quickly turn around and punch me lurched into the warehouse door through.

"Gaaahh-agh"

That's very hurt, if I don't turn around as well and reinforced my hands to protect me from his direct attack, I would be dead by now. Thanks to his strike. I'm inside the warehouse.

I try to project Avalon. But, somehow I just can't remember the image of the sheath of Excalibur.

Since my parting with her, I can't find the Avalon image.

But, I refuse to give up.

There's must be something other than Avalon that can be a catalyst. Excalibur? No, that's impossible, a divine construct is out of my reach. Sword of selection, Caliburn? Yes, that can be a catalyst.

"Trace[begin]… on[projection]"

Judging the concept of creation

Hypothesizing the basic structure

Duplicating the composition material

Imitating the skill of its making

Sympathizing with the experience of its growth

Reproducing the accumulated years

Excelling every manufacturing process

Seven steps to create this sword

It is not difficult at all. It's not impossible

From the beginning. This body was…

-m  
-ma  
-mad  
-made  
-made o  
-made of  
-made of s  
-made of sw  
-made of swo  
-made of swor  
-made of sword  
-made of swords-

A sentences are typed inside of my head. Each letter feels like a sword stabbed into my back yet I feel it inside my head.

Anyway, I've project the sword.

But Assassin is arrive at warehouse entrance. With his hand ready to strike. My instinct tells me, if I just get touch by that hand, I'm done for.

There's no more time to recite the Servant Summoning chants.

Without a doubt in my mind, I stab Caliburn into the circle.

"COME! SABER!"

A set of three Command Seals re-appear on my left hand, and the circle glows into a blinding light. Within the light I can feel the weight of the sword has become lighter and then, there's someone hands took the sword from my hands. I can't feel the sword as my (fake) projection anymore as if this sword has returned to its (true) wielder.

I opened my eyes. And who's before me is her.

Saber class Servant that once I summoned in Fuyuki Fifth Holy Grail War.

But, she looks different. No, I feel she is a different person.

She still wears same chest plate armor, but with a pair lighter gauntlets. Her battle dress, especially at the skirt reminds me of a white Lily flower. Her dress, however is too exposed at her upper back

"It is nice to meet you, Master. Since I am still in training, please call me Saber Lily."

"Arthuria…?" I said her real name, Instead of her True Name, King Arthur.

"?!" she was frowned, is she the same Arthuria? "ah, so you already know my name. But, please call me Saber Lily"

I was frowned. Her reaction, as if this is the first time she meet me. But, this isn't the first time i meet her.

Could she be another version of Saber I once knew. A younger version, maybe?.

If I recall what Saber once said, she… Arthuria… King Arthur.

King Arthur is stopped at the moment before death. The flow of time doesn't care that she's keeps flowing and we're at the present.

She jumps to each time as needed and returns to her own time after completing her duty.

If she obtains the Holy Grail in one of the times she visits, her time will flow again and she will die, just like the history we know today.

…Then heroic spirits must exist like this. When they die, they are transferred to Throne of Heroes, where time doesn't flow.

And they are summoned into various ages and disappear without returning.

So that must be what they mean by heroic spirits being a copy.

It's like a clone made from their DNA. The 'heroic spirit' that has complete abilities and memories of when it was alive will appear in this world and learn many things. But it is useless.

They have no way to return to the main body, but merely disappear. So no matter how many times they are summoned into the same age, there will be no inconsistencies in their memories.

I assume the ones that became heroic spirits will not change anymore. Even if they obtain new knowledge, the self that learns it will just disappear once the duty is complete.

…In that regard, Saber isn't a complete Servant. Because Saber returns to her own time even after she is summoned.

However, she was deliberately destroying the grail also destroys her contract and her ability to be summoned as a Servant.

Then, how she can be summoned? Is it because she never breaks her contract in this world?.

I lost in thought staring at her figure

"Master?" she looked at me with puzzled eyes.

"Nn?!"

Assassin who was got blinded because of the flash recovered. "You!?"

Upon hearing the noise from the black Servant, the Sword woman in white turned facing her first opponent.

Assassin who was not using weapon when he was dealing with me, decided to bring his weapons. Those were daggers called 'Dirks'.

"Dirk" was originally the name of a type of thrusting dagger traditionally used in Scotland, imprinted with Celtic designs and patterns, and they were utilized as actual weapons until around the eighteenth century. They were relegated to ceremonial uses after that, but the British Empire adopted it as a weapon in the armed force and navy after incorporating Scotland into their empire.

His Dirks are small black daggers meant to be utilized as throwing weapons rather than as melee weapons. Their tips are hooked, making removal from the target a hard task once they have struck.

He took mid-range away from Saber and threw three dirks. Rather than avoiding those projectiles, she deflect them with her sword by Instinct.

Because only two dirks aimed at her, while the other one was aiming at me. His tactics must be targeting Master rather than Servant.

He steps away while keep throwing his daggers, one dagger at a time. His dagger could be finite in numbers because he doesn't seem always to throw his daggers. His throws was accurate, but easily to deflect by Saber with just one hand holding the sword. Saber use this way of holding the sword so she can keep a line of sight from incoming dagger in small openings without worrying her other hand blocking her view.

Saber can't keep being on defensive, she have to find away to attack Assassin. She decided to make an approach to Assassin.

But, Assassin always step away.

Then, a surge of Mana leaks from Saber. It was a **Mana Burst,** the increase in performance caused by infusing one's weapons and body with Magical Energy and instantly expelling it. Simply put, recreating the effect of a jet burst by expending large amounts of Magical Energy.

With a sudden increased speed she manage to reach Assassin, despite her Agility seem just one rank below, her sword already to cleave the Shadow Servant.

"Haa!"

She swing Caliburn and cut down Assassin into two and disappeared into void dust.

The fight was over, I decided to approach her.

"Saber!"

"ah, Master!" she turned around and walked toward me "are you alright, Master? I saw you were wounded! Eh? You are already recovered?"

As she reach me she try examine my wounds which are already gone.

I already know the reason why I'm recovered quickly. That because of Avalon, her scabbard. It's a Noble Phantasm that provides regenerative ability to its bearer.

Wait, the Image of Avalon has returned to me!

Though, that's isn't important for now.

*beep* *beep* {Shirou, are you there?}

My wristwatch sounds again. Saber just watch me with curiosity in her eyes.

"I'm here"

{are you alright. I detected there's a Servant nearby you}

"ah, yes. I just summoned a Servant"

"I see, there's someone want to talk with you"

Someone? Who?

* * *

 **Several minutes ago, somewhere in Fuyuki**

"Kyuu… Kyuu…"

A familiar animal cried calling out to me within the darkness.

"Fou… Fou… Fou…"

"This… Sound…" I thought in my mind.

"That's tickles…" I snapped open my eyes

Seated upright with my eyes wide opened, my view turned aside from the darkness. I greeted by Fou leaping onto my face before moving to my shoulders.

"Where am I?" I stand as I look my surroundings. It was familiar yet different scenery from my homeland. Gray sky-high broken buildings, wreckage and debris from destroyed shop-houses and residences, blazing flames that paired the gray-reddish glowing sky.

Then, suddenly I noticed there was a red shooting star-like flew towards me.

But I realized, that wasn't a shooting star. Because that was a concentrated rain of Arrows!

"Haa!" I gasped in realization as I try to cover with my hands

Those arrows was rained down. But, none of them were hit me. I opened my eyes. In front of that was

"Mashu!"

"I'll explain later. But for now, please stay down"

She holds a shield against another rain of arrows. she was wearing a black-purple armor with notably showing her abdomen.

The last time I saw her. Her smile was weakly. That's why I couldn't believe it. That shield, that armor, that gaze as well.

It's as if she become more than human.

She looked like a Hero

In the distance, the bowman was impressed, the fact they were survived from those rains of arrows.

He project a sword and turned into a stronger arrow.

From another distance a hooded figure carved an Ansuz Rune to shoot the bowmen.

Noticed that, the bowmen had no choice but retreat.

The hooded figure also disappear and enter spirit form.

After the rain of arrows has over leaving a huge crater with the place Mash and I still untouched

"Looks like he retreated"

"Mash, that outfit…?" I try to ask why she in that appearances

She turned around with her right hand on the chest while the other hand holding her shield

"This is…" she try to answer but get cut by a woman scream

"Kyaaaaaaaaaa!"

We look into the direction of the scream.

"Master, your commands"

I look at Mash face from what she just said?

"You and I will get through this situation together, Senpai!"

Unbeknownst to me, there was Command seals in my right hand.

Inside further Fuyuki city, Olga Marie ran in a panic with a group of skeletal figures chasing after her.

She panted heavily from the continuous running, a glance at the back forced her noticed they were still persistent.

Faced back to the front, she shouted in frustration, "Wh-Who are these guys, anyway?"

Soon, her limbs gave away and Olga Marie tripped. She sat upright and set her index finger in a gun position. Her index fingertip formed a glowing golden magic circle and shot a golden energy orb at one of the skeletal figures.

The minute it hit, the figure turned into black dust. Its 'chief' realized that one of its comrades had died, swung its blade to the front as a command to assault.

Olga Marie gasped when they dashed towards her and fired a repeated shot at them with her magic. Despite each figure changed to black dust, they never wavered in moving towards their target.

"Why do these things keep happening to me?" Olga Marie wondered angrily while shooting.

Within the range of their target, the skeletal figures had a cautious step with their weapons. Before she could fire another shot, Olga Marie heard a cackle above her and tip her head to the source.

Above her, a skeletal figure rose above the lamppost and leaped to strike at her. The Director gasped and shot a charge. But, it whirled to the side with its blade raised up high.

She shifted away and crouched down, "Come save me, Lev!"

THUNK!

The sound of an impact against a metal reached her ears.

Not knowing when her eyes closed, Olga Marie took bravery to reopen them, embraced at the sight of the violet-haired girl intercepting the strike.

With a sharp breath, she shoved back the figure with her shield and made a powerful swing to incapacitated it. Once gone, she lunged forward towards her the group of skeletal figures as her next target.

Watched the violet-haired girl taking down each target, Olga Marie uttered with bewilderment in her tone, "Mash?"

Smashed the skeletal figure on her right, another figure was to strike her from the rear.

Mash at once revolved around and struck another few more figure before swinging her shield at the attacker.

Before she could charge at the target ahead, a crowd of skeleton figure was about to pounce on her. But, Mash raised her shield and twirled it rapidly, deflecting and killing the incoming figures. Mash's stoic face remained, taking down every enemy with her shield. Later, I who caught up with her stood to draw a deep breath. I turned to the seated figure andshouted, "Are you all right?!"

"Director?" I gasped, gaining a startling expression.

"Y-You!" Olga Marie turned her head behind to notice my presence.

Up in the air, Mash positioned her shield downwards and crashed against the figure as she fell to the ground. From the powerful impact and dust, a large hole left with nobody but black dust of the enemy.

Leaped up from the crater, Mash put her shield down and approached to Olga Marie. "The battle is over. Are you hurt, Director?"

"What's going on?" The Director with shock lasted from the assault earlier.

"Director? About my situation," Mash placed her shield aside to reveal. "I know it's hard to believe, but the truth is–!"

"A Demi-Servant, right? It's pretty obvious that you fused with a Servant," Olga Marie stopped.

She stood up with eyes narrowed in annoyance. "What I want to know is why it's successful now all of a sudden!"

"I'm sure you know that Chaldea prepared a Servant beforehand in order to resolve the investigation of Singularity F."

* * *

 **Moments before Rayshift**

 _"One day, you too will meet a Senpai you will be able to rely on from the the bottom of your heart"_

She remembered those words as her hands hold by someone who will be her Senpai(Master)

Within the blazing fires, an illusion figure kneeled with one knee before Mash. The white-haired man with one hazel orb, whom hair bangs covered his left, wore a purple-silver mantle. Mash peered at the figure weakly.

 _The big hands that wrapped around mine. Belied the calm, reassuring smile he had put on. And it's too late for us to be saved now. It's only natural to be afraid of the impending fate which was thrust upon us._

 _"Don't worry. I'm here with you"_

 _However, that hands those words, that smile. They were kinder, gentler, and warmer than anything I had experienced until now._

 _Yes, I've seen something truly beautiful_

The Illusion figure lean to her

He reached his hand out to her and told, "You don't wish to die, do you? You have your Masters you wished to protect, no?"

She shifted to the illusion and nodded.

"You're… why?"

He nodded and said, "I'll give my abilities and Noble Phantasm to aid you, Mash. In return, I want you to eliminate the cause of the Singularity."

With no indecision, Mash nodded further and moved her quivering hand out to him…

* * *

 **Back to Ritsuka and the others**

"Right before I died, he offered me the contract. In exchange for giving me the abilities of a Heroic Spirit and Noble Phantasm, he wanted me to eliminate the cause of the Singularity. So I merged with the Servant to became a Demi-Servant."

"Then this substitute commoner has become your Master?" Director concluded Mash's story

"Master? I'm a Master? But…" I want to protest but when I saw a strange unnatural mark on my hands I speechless.

"That commands seals prove it." said Director

*BEEP* *BEEP*

The trio focused their attention on my wristwatch.

With the shared confused expression, I raised his wristwatch up and a holographic image flashed above the wristwatch.

From the holographic, a familiar messy ponytail-haired figure appeared sitting before them.

He called out to them, {Right! I finally got through! Hello? This is Chaldea Command Room? Do you read me?}

"Doctor Roman!" I answered with surprise laced in my tone.

{Fujimaru-kun, Mash! So, the two of you did get caught up in that Rayshift.} Romani exhaled a sigh.

"Huh?! Why are you running the show, Romani?" Olga Marie approached the holographic image and glared at him. "What about Lev? Where's Lev? Put Lev on!"

{Waaaahhhhhhhhh!} Romani nearly fell out from his seat at the Director's glare. He swallowed his saliva down and exclaimed with shock in his tone. {D-Director, you're alive? And you're unharmed? What the…}

"What's that supposed to mean? Where's Lev? What's the head medic doing in charge?" Olga Marie demanded, both hands resting on her hips.

Romani dropped his head with a distressed sigh, {Don't ask me why. I'm fully aware that I'm not cut out for this job. But, there's nobody else, Olga Marie.}

He lifted his head at her with a somber expression. {The surviving full-time staff of Chaldea is less than twenty people, including me. The reason I'm in charge of operations is that there's no one ranked higher than me who survived.}

{Dr. Lev was supervising from the Command Room. There's no way he could survive that blast.} From the news told, the other three gasped and showed a mixed look of horror and astonishment.

Olga Marie's jaw dropped and whispered, "No way… Lev…"

The former line of news made Olga Marie shook her head. "No, forget that, wait… Please wait.

Less than 20 survivors? What about the Master candidates… the Coffins?"

The doctor shook his head with a somber expression persisted. {47, all in critical condition and we're short on medical supplies. We might be able to save a few, but all of them might be–!}

"Don't be ridiculous!

"Cryopreserve them at once!"

Olga Marie yelled with a fierce voice.

She gazed at him with a resolved yet panic expression. "Think about reviving them later. Your top priority is to make sure they don't die!"

{I'll get on it right away!} Romani leaped off from his chair after acknowledging, presenting a vacant seat to them.

Listening in from the start with her Master, Mash turned to the Director. "That surprises me. Cryopreservation without prior consent is a crime. Yet you made the decision right away. You put human lives ahead of your own reputation as the Director."

"Don't be stupid! As long as they're not dead, I can explain myself later — why else?" Olga Marie retorted.

The Director turned away with thumb place in her lip to nibble the nail and murmured to herself.

"In the first place, 47 lives… There's no way can I carry that burden! Please don't die… I'm begging you… If only Lev were here!"

After returned with all 47 candidates in cryopreservation state, Romani had explained his findings from the explosion and reported,

{Chaldea has lost 80% of its functionality. There's only so much that the remaining staff can do.}

{I'm shifting available manpower to Rayshift repairs and maintaining Chaldeas's and Sheba's current states.}

{As soon as external communications are back up, we'll request for supplies and start rebuilding Chaldea.}

"That's fine," Olga Marie nodded. "I would've done the same if I were there."

Her orange orbs gave a brief glance at her back to me. The Director heaved a heavy sigh and declared, "Romani Archaman. I don't like it, but until I return you're in charge of Chaldea. Make the Rayshift repairs your top priority."

{A Heroic Spirit and a human, fused,} Romani mused his mind for a minute.

He recalled and understood, {A Demi-Servant? That's Chaldea's sixth experiment. I can't believe it succeded at time like this}

"We'll be investigating this town. The Singularity F. with the Ritsuka Fujimaru and Mash Kyrielight as investigators"

{Ah! Speaking of that, actually there's one more Master Candidate from Special Recommendation who also got rayshifted–}

"Why you didn't tell me earlier! Connect us with him!" she shouted to holographic of Dr. Roman

{R-Roger!} he responded as he typing fast and connecting us with another Master

After that another holographic image of a teenage boy with red hair and a blonde haired girl beside him present before us.

"State your name and your status!"

The redhead blinked several times before answering {Emiya, Shirou Emiya, my status is well… I just Summon a servant, Saber}

{Um, Hi! I'm Saber Lily} a Servant wave her hand to the holographic screen.

"Hmm, as I expect from Zelretch's recommendation. So, do you know where you are?"

{Of course, I do. Because I was grew up here}

"what do you mean?"

Shirou letting a sigh before he explain his circumstances.

{You see, I was live in Fuyuki till 2005, so I know almost every location in Fuyuki}

Olga Marie was gasped at the fact that Shirou Emiya was native resident of Fuyuki.

"is that so? Well, can you set our Rendezvous point will be?"

{can you give me your location? any landmark would helpful}

Olga Marie look at her surroundings

"from the rubble and ruin. I think we at Station Front or something like that"

{Station Front? Alright, if you head to west you'll find Mion River that separated us there's a bridge there. that's will be our Rendezvous Point, We'll regrouping there}

"well then, it's settled. Let's move, Fujimaru, Mash"

Romani nodded and acknowledged, {Roger that. Best of luck to you, Director. We can now communicate in short bursts. Feel free to contact me in an emergency.}

"Even if we sent an SOS, nobody would come to our rescue." Olga Marie muttered.

Romani tilted his head, {Director!}

The Director raised her wristwatch. She pushed the side switch and the holographic image of Romani disappeared back into the glowing orb.

When Olga Marie turned to the three, Mash asked, "Director, are you sure about this? There's also the choice of waiting here for the rescue."

"I can't afford to do that," Olga Marie gritted her teeth. "After we return to Chaldea, who knows how long it will take to select the next team? A month won't be enough to gather personnel or funds. Do you know how much the Association will harass me in the meantime?"

She turned away from Mash, rambled in a panic voice. "Worst case, they'll blame me for mismanagement, and I'll lose Chaldea to them. If that happened, I'd be toast. I can't go back empty-handed. I need something that will shut them up!"

"Director?" my voice called out to her.

With the clearing of her throat, Olga Marie announced to the three. "Sorry, but you two are stuck with me, Mash, Fujimaru. Come on, let's explore this town. The cause of this twisted history must be here somewhere."

"Roger" Mash responded first

"R-Roger" I followed.

Olga sigh and continued to murmuring the situation "I never thought the day would come when I'd have to rely on a commoner"

*Beep* *Beep*

Olga's wristwatch beeping again

"you're being annoying! What do you–"

{please get away from there right now!} Dr. Roman shouted from his seat

For a second, we confused why he shouted like that. But then, Mash sense what's he mean.

"I'm detecting signs of an enemy!" Mash change her posture into battle stance as soon she detect hostiles. "This is… a Servant!"

We have no choice but run as fast as possible

While we are try to runaway from a Servant chasing us, I complaining about our situation.

"what the heck? What's a Servant doing here?"

"It's a Holy Grail War."

I bit suprised with the terms she just said. Holy Grail War.

"According to Laplace's observations, It's been confirmed that in 2004, a special ritual called a 'Holy Grail War' took place in this city. A Holy Grail is a magic vessel that contains the foundation of all forms of magic. Mages in the city of Fuyuki completed a Holy Grail, and summoned seven Heroic Spirits to activate it. The seven Masters battled it out, and in the end, the survivor obtained the Holy Grail. But the conclusion isn't recorded. Did the ritual succed? Did it fail? Whatever did happen, the Servants actions ended without anyone knowing about them."

When Mash finished her explanation, we already at river bank near the bridge.

"Then, Why…"

"Fou fou!" Fou squeaked as if telling to stop

Chains shot out from nowhere and circled the perimeter of their area, setting up an enclosed trap.

"are these… chains?" I said when I was about to try to touch them

"No, don't touch it!" Director warned me and I freeze my hand from touching the chains.

The chains shaking and moving like a snakes. I was startled by that and I swear one of those chains was try to hit me like a snake as well.

"Too bad. The fresh prey got away."

As we peeked around the surroundings, a mysterious veiled woman came before them from a violet light.

What is she? My heart is speeding up. My body shocking with fear. Alarms are going off in my head telling me I should be anywhere but here. I'll be killed.

"An unknown Servant and unknown Master," The veiled woman giggled.

Despite her features being hidden by the black veil, she had notable long purple hair and well-endowed figure.

The purple-haired Servant examined each of us with a predatory gaze and smirked. "How young and fresh…"

"a Servant! But I don't see her Master!" Mash replied, standing in front of the three with her shield in her grip.

Olga Marie lifted her hand out in a gun position and pointed out. "This world has already gone mad. A Servant without a Master doesn't surprise me."

Olga Marie's orbs glanced back at the surrounding chains that ambushed them. She turned back to Mash and ordered, "Mash, prepare for battle! It's a Servant, you can do something about it, right?"

"Yes, I will do my best!" Mash gritted her teeth anxiously but took a brave step forward towards the enemy Servant.

"Oh, how bold. How fresh," The purple-haired Servant mused. "Is this your first time fighting as a Servant?"

With a stride forward too, the enemy Servant pulled out a scythe from her back. "Then, as your senpai, I'll teach you. Be careful of what you say and do. For once the word 'fight' passes your lips, it has already begun."

Dissolved in a black fog, Mash's shocked expression lasted for a second before she came back with her scythe raised to strike. She hastily lifted her shield to block it. The spark generated from her scythe The violet-haired Servant at once raised her shield again to intercept another strike. Each strike hitting against her shield, Mash struggled to maintain her ground. At her determined gaze, the enemy Servant cackled, "You're desperate. Excellent. But be careful. My spear is 'Immortal-Slaying Scythe' any wound this lance delivers cannot be healed by any means. Even if by some miracle you could completely heal your entire body. Do you understand? the slightest mistake, you'll be a failure of a Servant for the rest of your life!"

Mash ducked her head and charged forward. "Yaargh!"

Taken by surprise as Mash's shield clashed against her, the impact produced a storm of sand towards the back. As me and Olga Marie used our arms to cover against the dust, the enemy Servant leaped up untouched.

Back on her chained gate, the enemy Servant hummed to herself. "Being too fresh can grate on the nerves."

Her hands moved to the back brushed out her long purple hair towards them. As it reached outwards, the hair changes from snakes for a moment to metallic chains at them.

"Interesting… I will entangle you all with my hair," The enemy Servant chuckled.

Mash stepped forward "I'm no match for her please run, Senpai!"

"Mash…" Even so, we can't escape.

"you've got guts" an unfamiliar male voice interjected us. "I thought you were just some girl, but it looks like you've got some fight in you. Then I can't leave you like this."

"Who are you?"

"What do you mean? Can't you tell?" Everyone's gazes turned to the side where the voice was. A blue light emerged from the ground revealing a blue-cloaked figure with his hood up, holding a wooden staff in his grip. "Don't tell me the mud got in your eyes too?"

Recognized the voice's identity, the Lancer growled, "Curse you, Caster!"

Pulled his hood down, it revealed a man with blue long and spiky mullet haircut. The Lancer glared back at the Caster's red eyes. "Why are you siding with a Wanderer, Caster?"

"Huh? Because it's better than siding with you guys!" Caster answered as though it's the most obvious fact in the world and Multiple of fireballs launched from the side blasted at the enemy Servants creating a cloud of smoke. He walked and stood in front of Mash with a confident smirk. "And hey, I don't mind brats with some potential."

Prepared with his staff in front, the Caster spoke, "Young lady, be ready for a fight. Don't worry, you're good. You can turn this around if you pay attention."

A startled expression surfaced on Mash's face for a second before turning back to the front. "R-Right, I'll do my best!"

"Hey kid, are you her Master?" The Caster asked

"Then, I'm leaving the orders to you. I'm a Caster-class Servant. They don't really like me right now. Not like the enemy of my enemy is my friend, but for now, you can trust me."

I reached my hand out and interjected. "But–!"

"If you are her Master, steel yourself!" Caster's sharp yell shook me in surprise. With reluctance, I nodded faintly and clenched my fist.

The enemy Servants armed their weapons as the Caster added. "In honor of the brave young lady there, I'll form a temporary contract with you and fight as your Servant!"

A second later, the Lancer smirked at the Caster. "That's fine with me. It means I can kill you earlier than planned."

Caster glanced over and lifted his staff to block at Lancer's incoming scythe. Lancer's grin widened before drawing back to swing down her scythe. Caster leaped backward and jumped to the side as the Lancer followed him.

Caster spun and swiped his hand across the air that formed runic words. "Ansuz!"

Multiple of fireballs shot out from each runic word at the Lancer, forming a black cloud from the impact. The Lancer Servant dashed out from the smoke and twirled her scythe at Caster. Caster swung his staff to deflect before leaping to the side.

As chains chased towards him, Caster leaped away to sidestep and hopped backward away from them. Unknown to the two, Mash and the remaining two stealthily followed Caster from his back.

Focusing on the swinging scythe from Lancer, The scythe's blade slashed and shattered debris and lamppost.

Leaped up into the air, the Lancer taunted at him. "All you can do is nothing but to run away! It seems you don't even have time to cast a spell, right?"

Once landed in the midst of the street, the enemy Servant followed along. She rose up with weapons raised as mouth crooked into a sinister grin. The Assassin stepped forward and mocked.

"This is what you get for opening your big mouth. This is what happens when you express your intentions "

Just as the Lancer were to swing her scythe, Caster's lips formed a large grin that gained a surprised reaction from the two. He suddenly shouted in a knowing tone. "Young lady!"

Mash stepped in between and whirled her shield forward against the scythe. Lancer's orbs widened as he hopped to her original spot with a wary expression.

Caster stepped out from Mash's back and retorted. "I don't need to chant a spell to use Runes. Go back to school, you dimwits!"

Brought his hand out, the enemy Servant wondered for a second before shifting to the ground. A runic words before her illuminated with an orange flare. It blew up a burst of fire from the ground, charring her into flames.

"GUAAAH!" The painful cry that escaped from the enemy Servant. Minutes later after charring, the flames turned to black smoke.

The black smoke dispersed revealing burnt bodies of the enemy Servant. Before she could strike back, Caster swiped his hand across in the air to form runic words. The familiar runic words roared out fireballs at her and broke out into a barrage of flames.

As the breeze blew the black smokes away, it exposed the severely burned Lancer. Their bodies slowly disappearing into purple light.

"And, that's one down," Caster watched them fade away. He spun on hearing footsteps approaching him.

The young violet-haired Servant showed a modest smile and bowed, "Thank you very much, for saving us from danger…"

"Hey, good work. You don't owe me for this, so don't worry about it," The Caster grinned. He placed his arm around her shoulder and pointed out. "You should be more worried about your body. That damn Lancer kept targeting your butt like a pest!"

"Oh!" Mash gasped with a delicate blush when the Caster rubbed her shoulder.

With a bright grin, Caster commented, "Hey, you look fragile but you have a pretty nice body! The icing on the cake! I have no idea what class you are, but you're pretty sturdy… Maybe Saber? No, you don't have a sword."

"Hey, hey, keep your hands off her!" I stepped in between the two and pushed Caster away from Mash. While I stood in front of Mash with a glare, Fou on her shoulder hissed at the unwelcome action.

Despite the stares he gained, Caster laughed loudly, "Hahaha! Quite a protective Master you have!"

"Without a doubt, he's an old pervert!" Olga Marie declared without a beat. "Pervert at worst… But, he's an ally, maybe?"

Romani's holographic image materialized in between Olga Marie and Ritsuka.

{For now, let's get some information. He seems to be a decent Heroic Spirit.} l

"Oh, so someone who wants to cut to the chase," Caster said. He turned with an intrigued yet excited expression and pointed at the holographic form. "What is this? Some means of communication through magecraft?"

Romani nodded and bowed. {Well met, Caster Servant. I don't know which Heroic Spirit you are, but we have nothing but respect and awe for you.}

"Oh, spare me your remarks. I'm sick of hearing them," Caster waved his hand and glared at Romani. "State your business, weakling. Isn't that what you are good at?"

{Uh… I-I see. All right then," Romani bowed his head and murmured with a disheartened tone. "I got called a weakling from someone I've met for the first time…}

Once the group advanced towards underneath the bridge. I rested on debris as we listened with the rest of Romani's brief summary to Caster.

The doctor concluded, {Let me confirm something. You're a Servant from the Holy Grail War that broke out in this city and sole survivor?}

"If by that you mean I haven't lost," Caster corrected. "Our Holy Grail War changed to something else along the way. I don't know how it happened either."

"Switched?" Olga Marie prodded.

"The city was engulfed in flames, and the humans vanished. Only the Servants remained." Caster nodded. "Saber was the first to resume the Holy Grail War. That chap began rampaging like a tiger released from a cage. Archer, Lancer, Rider, Berserker, and Assassin were all defeated by Saber."

Olga Marie rubbed her chin. "The survival of the Seven Servants… That rule of the Holy Grail War was broken here…"

"And you won, Caster," Mash queried. "Or rather, you're the Servant who survived."

"Yes," Caster nodded. "Any Servant defeated by Saber became like those two, corrupted by the black mud."

"It would explain with the Lancer Servant," I muttered.

"They, and the monsters which sprung up like maggots, started looking for something together," Caster continued. "The troublesome part is I'm one thing they're looking for. You see, the Holy Grail War won't end until I'm killed."

{You and Saber are the only surviving Servants,} Romani summarized. {So if you defeat Saber…}

Caster nodded again. "Yes, it would probably end the Holy Grail War here. But I don't know whether things would return to normal."

"I see. You helped us, but in the end," Olga Marie shot a distrustful look at Caster. "It was for your own sake, huh? You want to defeat Saber, but don't stand a chance doing it alone. That's why you zeroed in on us… Right?"

"That's right. But, it's not a bad deal, isn't it?" Caster smirked.

I narrowed my eyes. "How convenient of you to help us save your own skin."

"There'll be no end to these guys if you have that Young lady alone as your Servant," Caster glanced at Mash. He then came back to me. "Besides, there's nothing better than having allies now!"

Caster sighed and studied at his staff. "If I'd been summoned as a Lancer, I could've finished Saber with one strike. Man, Caster is just not for me. I don't like being a Caster in a Holy Grail War like this."

"Wait, what do you mean 'if you were a Lancer'?" I perked up with confusion at Caster.

"It's been known to happen, Senpai," Mash answered, getting his attention.

"Some Heroic Spirits have the attributes of multiple classes. He is not just a spear-wielder, but a high-level Heroic Spirit with qualifications to be a mage."

"I see…" I muttered with an appreciative grin curved on Caster's lips.

Mash hummed for a moment. "I'm only speculating, but he must be one of the top Servants. The kind that's featured in the magazine Vivian."

"Magazine?" I stared at her with newfound confusion.

But before Mash replied, Caster interrupted them and brought up.

"Ahh right, you said you were Masters of an organization called Chaldea…"

{That's right,} Romani nodded.

"Hmm," Caster hummed to himself and went on. "I guess that's all I need to know. Servants tend not to get overly involved in problems outside their own time period. We ultimately only cooperate as weapons. Your goal is to investigate this anomaly. My goal is to put an end to the Holy Grail War. We share mutual interests. So how about we join forces?"

Everyone looked at each other for a moment at Caster's words. Olga Marie, the first to turn back gave a nod. "That is a rational proposition."

With another bright grin at him, Caster's expression showed a thoughtful look. "That leaves one last thing, your goal. What you're looking for is probably the Greater Grail."

{Greater Grail? I'm not familiar with that. What is it?} Romani asked.

Caster turned his head to Romani. "The land's true 'heart.' If there is a Singularity, it has to be that. But Saber is lingering around the Greater Grail. The remaining Servants she contaminated, too."

"Berserker and Archer are the ones left?" As Caster nodded to her question, Olga Marie went on, "What are those two like? Are they strong?"

"Well, Archer can be dealt with if I'm with you," Caster shrugged. "Berserker is the problem. Even Saber had trouble with that monster. But, he won't attack unless you get close to him, so ignoring is one option. Well then, let's get going!"

"Aah, wait. We still waiting for our…"

"Hi, anyone's here!?" before Olga finished her words we hears someone shouting. We saw two figures walking on the bridge

"Over here!" Olga responded to the shout by calling them. They seem to be realizing our presence as they approach the bridge's side and…

They were jumped down! But that was very high from up there to down here. But they look fine. Those two were the pair of Master and Servant we saw from uplink.

One is a young woman in her late teens with a slender physique, soft skin, and green eyes. She wears shining armor with… How I suppose to say this? A feminine clothing with a skirt that kind of short? I mean it's somewhat rising. Nonetheless she must be the Servant which the other one is her Master.

He's a teenager with auburn hair and golden-brown coloured eyes. He wears a black and white jersey zip jacket along with his casual clothing and a blue slim straight jeans.

When Caster's eyes saw them and that other Master stared at Caster. They giving widened eyes expression to each other and both saying same word

"You!"  
"You!"

With the confusion in everyone's face, we just standing. _Are they knowing each other?_

* * *

 **Alright it's another chapter is done. I thought this was just going to be less than 5k. But, considering the fact this chapter has two fights scene, no wonder it's taking 8k words to complete. Next is the finale of Fuyuki Arc, expect Mash & Saber Lily vs Saber Alter, Caster Cu Chulainn & Shirou Emiya Vs Dark Archer EMIYA (Ah shit, here we go again!). In case what clothing Shirou wears? It's Ufotable casual clothing, he didn't wear his Chaldea uniform yet. Please, leave a Review. **

Next Chapter: The Sword and the Shield - Power to fight and power to protect


	4. Chapter 0-3 The Sword and the Shield

**Seriously, no review for the previous chapter? Even a critic would be good progress. Well, whatever, here comes New chapter.**

* * *

Chapter 0-3 : The Sword and the Shield - Power to Fight and power to Protect

 **Under the Bridge**

"You!"  
"You!"

I don't expect to see he again

Cu Chulainn, Child of Light. He was Lancer in my previous Holy Grail War, but I don't see he wield his spear, **Gae Bolg** _'Barbed Spear Piercing with Death'._ Instead, he wield a staff and he's more like a druid

"Hmm… No, I think they're different person"

"?!" different person? What's supposed to mean?

"You're Cu Chulainn? Right"

"Oh, have we've ever met before?"

"well, in Lancer form, actually"

"Tch! Now I wish, I have a Gae Bolg in hand"

He definitely Cu Chulainn, but in a different class, Caster might be?

"alright then, can we go now?"

* * *

 **Street of Fuyuki**

We walked toward Ryuudou temple, I know a few things now. First, this is a Singularity that was she talked about, while it's still Fuyuki, it wasn't Fuyuki that I remembered, and Holy Grail War that happened here was broken. And the violet haired girl is a Demi-Servant, a half-human, half-Servant. How such a thing is possible is remains unknown to me.

Right now, we walked up the stairs to Ryuudou temple

"Hey, Fujimaru, it's pretty obvious that Kyrielight looking depressed." Olga Marie called out to them. Ritsuka stopped kneading the side of his head from a burning headache to stare at Mash.

I stopped in her steps too with my Servant and spun around.

Mash had her head lowered with a grimace on her lips though it had been there the hour they followed Caster. Her violet orbs gazing downwards as she continued walking. Olga Marie nudged Ritsuka's shoulders. "You are her Master, aren't you? Do something to cheer her up!"

"Mash?"

Ritsuka stopped beside the violet-haired Servant.

Mash remained walking with his call fallen deaf in her ears. Brows furrowed with worry, Ritsuka nodded and attempted this time. "Hey, Mash."

The violet-haired Servant shook up with a startled face. "Y-Yes?!"

"S-Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you, Mash-chan," Ritsuka showed a satisfied grin at her. As Ritsuka approached her , he asked, "You had that upset look on your face. Is there something wrong?"

"No! There's nothing different, Senpaio" Mash replied a little too quickly than normal earning more doubts from us.

"I'm operating perfectly!" Mash tried to assure them again, but we were unconvinced.

As she frowned, Ritsuka remembered and confirmed with Mash. "Hey, Mash. Could it Be that…?"

"Yes, that's the problem, nothing's different," Mash answered. Her violet orbs gestured to her shield. "Under your command Senpai, I have gained enough experience… And yet… I'm still unable to unleash my Noble Phantasm. I don't even know how to unleash it… I'm like a defective Servant."

"Fou…" A sad whine escaped from Fou.

"Oh, so that's what was bothering you. You have such a strong sense of responsibility, Mash," voice extended from Caster Cu Chulainn who sitting on stairs. "But I don't think that can settled overnight. After all, it's a Noble Phantasm. If a Heroic Spirit's secret weapon can be mastered within a day or two, then Servants wouldn't be that special anymore."

Well, he's right about that

"Of course we can master something like that at once," we Shifted our gaze to Caster he approached them, he proceeded. "After all, Heroic Spirits and Noble Phantasms are the same things. If the young Lady here can fight as a Servant, that means at that moment you can use your Noble Phantasm."

"That's right, Mash. despite the fact that I'm being a Saber-class Servant. I'm also lacking in experience. Because the path of a knight is still a long way for me, I'm still a Squire. I don't even know how my future turned out to be. But, when I'm going to be a King, I hope that I will be a good King." Saber was cheered

"a King? Not a Queen?"

"is there's any difference? As long as I can lead people, I'm a King"

Her words filled with hopes that make everyone's heart who's hear it feels more proactive. As expected from young King of Knights.

"Thank you, your words made me feel better" Mash smiled after listening to Saber

"Still, it's unusual." this time, Caster stared at Olga Marie "Are You don't have the potential to be a Master?"

"What of it?"

"I mean, you're a first-class Mage. You just don't have the potential to be a Master? Is it a curse?"

"What difference does it make?"

"You've got a first-class stubborn streak, too."

"What was that?!" Olga Marie really get her blood boil "Let's take a break, I'm tired!"

* * *

 **Homurahara School**

Ritsuka POV

After exploring this school ruins, I joined with Mash along with The other Master and Servant who also just finished exploring his old school

"Are you cold?" I asked Mash

"I'm fine. It seems this form isn't affected by temperature." Mash replied

"I see."

"I'm sorry. I keep putting you through hard times, Mash. If your Master was a first-class Mage instead of some commoner, your burden would probably be lighter."

"You really are a human, Senpai. I'm happy. Happy that I could form a contract with you as a Servant"

"Don't feel so down, I was like you too, when that Holy Grail War happens"

Me and Mash turned our gaze to the other Master who put his hands at the window and gaze into the black red sky.

Realized that he was being stared at, he stands and reach out his right hand "ah, I forget to introduce myself. I'm Shirou Emiya, feel free to call me as you like"

I reached his hand and shook ours "Ritsuka, Ritsuka Fujimaru"

"Mash Kyrielight" she said while bowing towards him

"Umm, I'm Saber Lily, nice to meet you Mash"

"You said I was like you too in Holy Grail War? You've participated in that event?" I asked him

He back into his composure putting his hands on the window trail and gaze back to the dark sky.

"rather than participate, I was… caught up and missed my chance to get out"

"""eh""" we didn't expect that answer.

"I was just a 3rd-rate Magus, yet I ended up Summoning a Saber Class Servant. I don't know whether to find it as luck or not. However, if that War never happened to me, I wouldn't have found my resolve"

 **"** resolve?"

"to keep believing in what I believed in before. I want to dedicate my life to that"

"meaning, what exactly?"

"A Hero of Justice." a small chuckle also heard from him "Also…"

he stares Saber Lily with a happy smile. While Saber Lily only blinking innocently

Olga Marie who was observing Masters and Servants headed to the rooftop

"Stars, cosmos, gods, animus…"

On the rooftop of a school ruin, Olga Marie squatted down and planted small pieces of rock in the heart of the glowing magic circle.

We decided required a 10-minute break before pushing on, Olga Marie cast spells for their own defense at their enemies.

The Director wrote another symbol on another piece of rock she took while chanting.

"Hollow, void, anima, Animusphere…"

Once the symbol glowed and went into the rock, she continued the renewed process. Caster manifested behind her and his head peered over at the magic circle. "You're working hard."

"Better than nothing, right?" Olga Marie answered without glancing at him.

"Hmm," Hummed himself with a smile, Caster casually picked up a few of the rock pieces into his hand.

Spun her head upwards, Olga Marie glared. "Hey, don't touch without permission!"

"Anyway, Caster. I forgot to ask you something important."

Seeing that one of his red orbs glanced at her, the Director went on. "Do you know Saber's True Name? It sounded like you'd fought several times."

"Yes, I notice it," Caster nodded and his lips set into a straight and thin line. "Anyone who gets hit by Saber's Noble Phantasm will find out that bastard's True Name…. The other Servants were all defeated because Saber's Noble Phantasm was that powerful."

"A powerful Noble Phantasm, is it? What was it like?" Olga Marie prodded.

"The sister sword of the Sword in the Stone. It's the most famous sacred sword in your time. Its name…"

" **Excalibur** 'The Sword of Promised Victory'. Wielded by King Arthur, the proud King of Knights."

"You're going to tell her, Mash, to fight King Arthur? Her Noble Phantasm hasn't even been released yet.

"The young lady has that shield."

"But her Noble Phantasm..."

"Wary of that shield, there was a bowman who targeted that young lady."

"What?"

"If the Archer makes a move, then the Saber is definitely involved. That White Saber Master also has a good eyes on that shield. And if my hunch is right..."

* * *

 **The Dark Cave**

The natural dark cavern shape caught Mash's attention as they continued walking. She shifted to the front and pointed out. "This place looks like a natural cave… Did this always exist in Fuyuki City?"

"Probably, it's half-natural, half man-made. It's the underground workshop expanded by mages over several years."

Olga Marie explained.

Fou stood up on Mash's shoulders and growled at the figure before us. My eyes widened at the surprise of the strange intruder before them "An Archer Servant?!"

Before them at the exit of an open field in the tunnel, a mysterious man stood in the middle. It was a youthful man in his mid-twenties with a muscular build. He had short white hair, gray eyes, and tanned skin color.

He put on a black body armor, which comprised a black tight and a sleeveless shirt. And black pants that had two black straps on his thighs, and another two strapped around his shins separate from each other. The said man also wore black metal plated shoes, which appear tied to his trousers. And his face… IS SAME AS Shirou Emiya!

Caster expressed a peeved look and glared at Archer. "Ah, speak of the devil. Or shall I say, the faithful follower? As always, I see you're still the loyal knight."

"Hmph, I don't remember becoming a follower of anybody," Archer replied. His hand manifested a black metallic bow and continued. "I'm just here to chase away unwanted visitors."

"In other words, you're the gatekeeper," Caster stated.

"Yes. But it seems, it also has become a personal matter. Shirou Emiya!"

"You remember?" Shirou Emiya was questioning his look alike

"I think the answers was simple. That Archer and this Master was the same person after all. Same goes for Saber, right"

His staff raised and pointed at Archer while continued. "I don't know why you're protecting Saber, but let's end this here. Isn't a game that never ends boring? For better or worse, we need to move the pieces forward."

"Wait, are you saying that Archer is Shirou Emiya? and, our Saber and enemy Saber was the same person as well? King Arthur?"

"Yes, that's right"

"From the way you talk, I think you understand the circumstances. Yet you are still absorbed by your own desires," Archer's hand manifested a blade and converted a drill-shaped arrow.

He lifted and drew it back with his bow. "You still haven't changed despite being a mage now. In that case, I will knock some sense into you."

Gray orbs narrowed, Archer pulled back the bowstring and fired the projectile towards the two Masters. Before it was a quarter of its course towards us, Caster chanted. "Eihwaz!"

Flames came from the tip of the projectile and ignited into fires.

"Hmm, then how about this. **Trace On[begin projection]** "

Multiple Swords of various sizes and shapes appear above Archer, there's no way Caster can burn every single one at once. " **Sword Barrel[full projection]: Full Open[continual layer shooting]!** "

Dozen of Swords was launched towards us, impossible to defend those swords.

But then, Shirou Emiya was dashed out to the front and intercepting those swords

Shirou POV

For now, the oncoming 18 swords. Analysis of all of them cannot be completed with my eyes alone, so my senses run wild and…

Go past the fastest speed, go faster and faster and faster…

"Don't"

I stick out my left arm. I have no doubts. I've copied him so many times. If there is nothing wrong with the theory…

"Be ridiculous, dammit…!"

…There is no way I can't reproduce the rain of swords in front of me!

"Haaah, ah, ha!"

I made it. I have intercept 18 Swords. With the same 18 Swords.

"Master!"/"Emiya!" Voices calling out me "Mash! Saber! Help him!"

"Right"

"Wait!" I stopped Mash and Saber Lily to aid me "Leave this to me"

Archer remained unfazed and summoned another sword into his right hand.

As he placed the sword-turned-drill-shaped arrow, Caster grinned at him, "What's wrong? Don't tell me you don't have the confidence to take us on?"

Swiped his hand swiftly across in the air, a line of runic words emerged and launched out fireballs towards Archer. Flying towards him, Archer gritted his teeth, "Tch!"

The fireballs collided with him and exploded with thick black smoke covering their area. But as the blast of wind blew the smoke elsewhere, Archer jumped out from the smoke.

"Go right now! That Black Saber is in there"

"Saber!" I look at Saber for a moment and speak to her "it's up to you, to defeat her"

Saber, who was shaken from realization of the identity of our enemies. Now, she's tighten her grip and takes a leave.

"Let's go"

Ritsuka, Mash, Olga Marie, and Saber Lily leave us.

"is it alright? To let her to fighting herself" Caster asked me, am I doing the right thing?

The answer was simple "if I don't fight my own, is she will?"

Caster was snickered "then, it was a prove that you are her Master"

"but well, first" I look at my own dark Counterpart

"yes, first" Caster agreed with me

"Let's take down that Bastard!"

"Trace on[begin projection]" A pair twin short swords appear in my hands, Kanshou and Bakuya.

Caster raised and spun his staff before tapping it onto the ground, "Ansuz!"

A runic word appeared beneath the staff on the ground. It glowed crimson as a burst of flame flared up and glided towards Archer.

* * *

 **Greater Grail**

Ritsuka POV

The group continued running and entered the cave beneath the giant tree. Once inside, it comprised a series of seals carved around above 50 feet of barren rock.

"What is that…?!" I stared at the interior with confusion and horror.

The eerie purple light shining behind the barren rock made Olga Marie gulped as her eyes widened.

"This is the Greater Grail… It's an ultra-superior Magical Reactor… What's it doing on this island nation in the Far East?"

"I see. You've got an interesting Servant with you." a young woman with platinum-blonde haired tied in a bun, pale slender physique and impassive golden orbs stared down at them. A black sword rested in front of her with both hands settling on the hilt.

The chilling gaze from her silence made both siblings and Olga Marie gulped in fear. Mash Gulped at the sight and murmured, "Unbelievable magical output… Is that really King Arthur?"

"Hmm" then she put her gaze to Saber Lily, who practically has same faces as her. "I see, you're 'me' that had just began walking down the path of a king. That sword, **Caliburn** 'Golden Sword of Victorious' Sword in the stone. To think, I would seeing it again"

Within reach, golden orbs stared intently at the dark-colored shield, Saber prodded. "A shield, is it? Be ready, strange girl. This sword shall test the truth of your shield." The black sword swung forward pointing at both Servants

 **Ryudoji Temple**

Shirou POV

I charged to Archer and swing my swords, but he leapt off taking distance before he started firing arrows.

Strange, as far as I remember Archer like to fight in melee combat, rather than like a common bowmen.

Caster firing some fire runes to Archer's projectile. I also switched to range combat as well to match his. A black bow appeared in my left hand. At first glance my bow and his would look similar, but mine was crooked and more fitting with my Japanese archery, while his bow matching with his Western archery.

An arrow also appeared in my right hand. I aimed at him, pull the arrow in bowstring, and fire it at him.

He leaped up again and right above us with another sword-turned arrow attached to the bowstring, Archer pulled it back and exclaimed. "You're wide open!"

Caster twirled his staff and tapped it on the ground. "Beroc!"

Tree roots erupted from the ground and ascended towards Archer. It slammed Archer against the rocky cliff, receiving a painful groan from the enemy Servant. Despite the bruises, Archer raised its bow with his projectile and shot at us.

Caster shot a startled expression before stared at a large blue bolt of energy heading towards us. Caster now showed a confident smirk at Archer.

Noticed at the sudden awkward movement before him, Archer shot a wary expression before realization dawned upon him. With the smirk remained, Caster shouted while his staff traced the ground behind him in a crescent formation. "Here we go, grand-scale! Ath nGabla!"

With a loud tapping from his hand that slammed the ground, three runes appeared behind him and glowed in a brilliant bluish light. Multiple magical circles appeared on the ground in front of him and the sides around him and Archer.

With a sword manifested, Archer slashed away the tree roots and leaped up to escape. But, he got knocked down to the ground with a powerful impact by the rune above in the air behind him.

Another painful groan emitted from his lips, Archer slowly pulled up and threw an accusing expression at Caster. "You put Runes in the air!"

"Yeah, my mentor had a spell that summoned the Gate of the Underworld. I ripped her off, basically. It won't do any good to shoot each other at long-distance," Caster twirled his staff and maintained in a position like holding a spear and declared. "From here, let's go all out and do our usual fight between you and me!"

"From a Caster class?" A pair of black and white swords manifested in Archer's hands and he smirked back at him. "Maybe you've become smarter than usual."

I'm also project a pair of black and white swords and charges at him again.

"Heh!" Shot a grin back at Archer, Caster charged forward as Archer raised his sword readied.

Once in front, Caster retorted before swinging his staff high. "One's cleverness and tastes are two different things!"

* * *

 **Greater Grail**

The black sword against the metal plate of the shield, sparks formed from clashing. As they drew back, Mash raised her shield up again to stop the incoming strike. The white Saber also doing the same, the golden sword clashing against the black sword giving waves of Mana every time they're clashing.

When the black sword clashed with Mash's shield again, rock burst out shooting from the ground by the immense pressure. While I shield the rocks coming to me, Olga Marie stepped forward as her arms twitched with a piece of rocks fall to her hand.

She then flung it onto the ground and it exploded into a bright light. A second later, a luminous yellow magic circle formed before the two deflecting away from the incoming rock

Each repeated swinging of the black sword, Mash hold her shield firmly against the beating.

While swinging, Saber asked with a challenging tone. "What's wrong? Won't you come forward?"

From the next powerful swing, Mash held her shield against it. Yet, the great pressure made her flinch. "Ugh!"

Even against two Servants, Dark Saber still matching them.

"Mash" I gasped and muttered with my fists clenched. "Damn it…"

The equally furrowed eyebrows and narrowed orbs expressed worry and fear on my face. Despite noticing it, Olga Marie shot a swift glance before shifting her view to the front.

When Saber pulled back her sword, instead of striking above, she swung it against the ground.

The powerful and quick swung her black sword knocked Mash back flying with her shield thrown away.

Leaving the two Sabers clashing their swords

Before I could dash over, Olga Marie drew her hand out to me . "If you intend to go help her, you'll only be in the way." She then took a deep breath and continued, "No, worse than that."

I turned to Olga Marie and demanded, "But Mash is…!"

"Prepare your resolve," The Director's comments cut her, her orange orbs suggesting them to shift back in front.

"Mash…" I mumbled, shifting to where she was. On the ground, Mash slowly lifted her head to watch white Saber fending off Black Saber. The torn dress and the bleeding cut on her face didn't deter White Saber from the injury.

Mash's violet orb gazed resolutely at their fight with a steadfast expression. Her hand propped on the ground to push herself up with her enduring strength.

Despite the impassive expression on her face, Olga Marie's calmer voice assured to them. "I understand how you feel. Painfully so…"

I shot to her with a frustrated and restless expression. "Then, am I going to just–!"

Olga Marie cut them off with her sharp tone, "you are that girl's Masters. That girl is your Servant."

Her shield reached into her hand, Mash grabbed and dragged it close to her. With her shield set on the ground, she gradually got herself stood on the ground. But as she stood up, White Saber swung her sword at Black Saber.

Black Saber moved her body to the side to dodge and whirled her sword against the ground. The swinging movement created shock waves from the ground and sent both white Saber and Mash flying back.

"Guah!" White Saber landed and skidded against the ground with a heavy thud. The white dress ripped and her armor covered in both crack and dust.

"Ugh!" Mash got knocked further back and crashed into the rock wall.

The awful sight before me had my eyes swelled in horror. My mouth trembled to cry out the violet-haired Servant's name. But, the fear consumed me as I turned my eyes away shut from whatever may take place next.

"Fou…?" A concerned squeak escaped from Fou as he stared at the raven-haired Master with a concerned expression.

"Do not look away!"

Olga Marie's sharp and harsh voice made I snapped my eyes opened. I faced at the Director whose gaze remained fixated at the two Servants. Olga Marie continued reminding her.

"Face straight ahead! Hold your head high! What should you really be doing as a Master?"

Pulling herself up with the sword, one of White Saber's green orbs glanced over to where the commotion he heard. Towards me, a startled expression shown on my face. I realized how cowardly she had done.

As though I made up in my mind, I nodded with understanding and faced back to the front.

As once more, Mash reached for her shield and stood back up. Despite the ragged breath leaving her lips, her gaze remained rigid at Saber who stared down at them. The black knight heaved a deep sigh and gripped her sword.

A sudden eruption of purple aura shrouded around Saber. "It's coming"

"I shall answer those eyes," Black soil and sand from the ground circled around Saber like a whirlwind. With her cold golden orbs, Saber decided with a yell, "And to the heart, that means to protect its Master!"

Another outbreak of energy burst from Saber, and the purple aura soon twisted into a dark-colored light transmitted to the sword. The channeled energy created a broad sword-shape around the black blade.

Before anyone could react, Mash stepped right before Saber in a distance. Her shield stood rigid while she gritted her teeth at the incoming attack. My eyes widened and called out,

"Mash!"

Olga Marie gasped with a complete worried expression displayed on her face, "Please endure it, Mash!"

Without hesitation, I narrowed my eyes and hurried towards where Mash stood. But, Olga Marie caught his hand as he was about to go. "Wait!"

"Director, you asked what we should do as her Master right?"

At the sudden question from me, Olga Marie stared at him in bewilderment. I continued without glancing back. "Even if I'm just going to be a burden… More than anything, I want to be there by her side, together and fight."

"That's a Servant you're going against! There's no way you two will stand a chance against Saber. Mash is your Servant that's why–!"

"Then, go to hell with the Servant and Master you guys decided for us! Even Shirou did the same thing!" my sharp yelling made her flinch in shock. I shifted behind to confront her with frustration, anger and yet, determined expressions.

I continued with my strong blue eyes staring back into her orange. "Before a Master and that crap… That's my friend struggling with her life risking for us to get out of here. And as her Master you keep asserting, I'll fight together right by her side!"

My hand moved to hers that gripped my arm, I pulled it off from her and hustled off. Olga Marie snapped out of her stupor and shrieked at him, "F-Fujimaru!"

But, I ignored her screams and continued heading to the Mash. As Mash stood there, she gulped at the immense pressure growing from Saber. Her grip on the shield handle tightened and braced the coming blow.

" _Iron Hammer of the Hollow King._

" _Overturn the aurora._

" _Swallow the light!"_ Raising her weapon high, the energy around the blade turned bigger. The whirlwind around Saber whirled stronger and faster.

With another sharp breath, she suddenly yelled with a resolute tone, " **Excalibur Morgan!** 'Sword of Promised Victory'"

* * *

 **Ryuudou Temple**

Our fight with Archer hasn't meet its end. Despite the space of fight has limited, he doesn't show any problem with that.

My body was covered in blood and bruises.

"Hah, hah, hah" I breathe heavily and my magic circuit feels like a newly forged sword that's not dipped into water to cooling down

And each time my swords and Archer swords are clashes. I see some kind of memories

 _I am the bone of my sword_ [ _His body is made out of swords_ ] _._

One sword took one life, to save tens.

 _Steel is my body and fire is my blood_ [ _His blood is of iron and his heart of glass_ ] _._

Another sword took ten lives, to save hundreds.

 _I have created over a thousand blades_ [ _He survived through countless battles_ ] _._

Kill hundreds to save thousands and go on

 _Unknown to Death,_ [ _Not even once retreating,_ ]

Every soul he kills

 _Nor known to Life_ [ _Not even once being understood_ ] _._

For saving many souls

 _Withstood the pain to create many weapons_ [ _He was always alone, intoxicated with victory on the hill of swords_ ] _._

He really saving many people

 _Yet_

 _Those hands will never hold anything_ [ _And thus, his life has no meaning_ ] _._

He killed many people in the process

 _So, as I pray_ [ _That body, was surely_ ] _ **Unlimited Blades Works**_ [ _made out of swords_ ] _._

In the end, the people he saved, betrayed him.

"Do you saw it? Didn't you?!"

I raised my face and looking at him

"am I right?–" he was interrupted

We look at the source. It was a black light erupting from The Greater Grail location are they going to be alright? No, I'm sure they will make it. I still feel the connection between me and Saber.

"I don't care what's going on between you two, but I want to ask you a question" Caster commented while holding his flaming staff. "who do you think will win? That Shield or that Sword?"

"don't you think this situation is kind of similar" Archer just gave his thoughts "the answer is Paradox, Only a contradiction is produced."

Caster snorted and snickered, "Hah, I don't know about that. I always think the same thing about that story. If both things are equal, then isn't it all down to the skill of those wielding them?"

"well, unfortunately, the same thing cannot be said to those two Sabers"

Caster was narrowed his eyes and listening Archer's words

"In terms of Skill, the younger one may catching up. But their weapons, is another story"

"that's why I gave her 'those' things"

Archer raised his eyebrow "I see, you're still helping her despite you are two separate"

"that young lady and that girl knight are best matchup for that dark Saber, and we are the best matchup for you. I show you, why?" Caster said while he inscribed a Physical Reinforcement Rune on himself "close your eyes, boy"

Then, Caster throw a runestone and I quickly closed my eyes

A flash came from the runestone and blinded Archer for a second

Before Archer can react, Caster was already behind him with a same stance when he was a Lancer utilizing Gae Bolg.

"I'll send you off with this one strike"

His staff wasn't Gae Bolg. But, there's a rune installed at that staff point. When his staff touched Archer's chest a liquidised magic is fired out at high pressure and destroyed his heart.

Archer was knocked back very hard, with his heart being destroyed, he dissolved in golden light revealed critically wounded Archer on the ground.

The white-haired Servant shot a glare at Caster who tossed the Olga Marie's pieces of rock in his hand. "I guess it's better than nothing at all."

* * *

 **Greater Grail**

"Excalibur Morgan!"

A powerful and violent swing of her black sword from above, a blazing red-black-purple flame blasted from the blade. The blast of dark energy flame headed towards where Mash stood. Her eyes sealed and exhaled a deep breath, quickly shot opened with a determined expression.

She lifted her shield high and shouted, "Deploying Noble Phantasm! Yaaa!"

THUNK!

A large magical circle glowing in green light appearing before her, safeguarding those behind like a dome.

The dark energy clashed against the barrier, generating sparks and the black flames diverted surrounding the dome.

Also, the strong pressure from the flames produced a powerful current to the back. While rushing to Mash, I nearly fell and shoved back from the wind. "Guh!"

I bracing against the strong breeze, Mash held onto her shield against the energy wave. The consistent strong pressure threatened to lose her ground against Saber.

Saber, but stared at her with an impassive expression at her attempt. Olga Marie and Fou stared with uncertainty and distressed at the lone Servant withstanding all. Saber Lily narrowed her eyes at them and peered back at her sword.

Mash gritted her teeth as she realized fatigue crept into her. Her body collapsed onto the ground and the magic circle of her Noble Phantasm slowly dissolving. Mash's violet orb stared at the ground , darkness enveloping her sight.

Despite the desire to protect her Master, the weary feeling and hopelessness drowned her thoughts. As her hands were to let go, a familiar warmth held above them. Mash gasped and spun her gaze in surprise to meet familiar right hand onto her hand and left shoulder.

She turned to her right to see me placed my right hand over her shoulder and the other holding onto the grip of the shield.

I showed the expression of unwavering conviction in holding her Noble Phantasm against Saber's own.

The surprise soon turned relieved as a joyful beam surfaced on Mash's lips, "Senpai…"

I returned an assured grin and acknowledged, "I believe in you, Mash."

"You're not alone, Mash. Together, we'll protect the Director and everyone." I added with a satisfied grin of his own as Mash looked over.

"… Yes!" Mash nodded.

With a nod from me, the Command Seals on my hand glowed bright red. Mash noticed that her body glowed in a gentle white light as though it erased her fatigue and renewed with a newfound strength.

Breathing in and out deeply, Mash stared back in front and rose back on her foot. "Please watch me, Master."

The earlier white light transmitted into the shield as the trio gripped the shield and its handle tighter.

White magic circle radiated brighter and resolute against the dark energy, earning surprise reaction from Black Saber and Olga Marie.

"The Noble Phantasm…" Olga Marie gasped with surprise.

The magic circle projected a white energy shape of Mash's shield behind. Both left and right formed a giant white brick castle wall that stood as a barrier. Deep breath sucked in and breathed out, Mash and I yelled in synch. "Yaargh!"

Golden orbs widened in shock, Saber gasped with her mouth agape. "That shield is…!" The diverted energy of the black flame turned and reflected Saber in a single blast. Black smoke and specks of dust from the ground mushroomed and swallowed where Saber stood. When it dissolved, Saber's armor and face covered in bruises and dirt from the flame's blaze.

The black knight's golden orbs glared at them with teeth bared and gritting. Both siblings' eyes widened and mouths dropped at Saber remained standing. But, they noticed Mash's head dropped with her eyes barely able to keep them open.

"Mash!" I grabbed hold of the violet-haired Servant as she gave way. The white brick wall before them fading from the weakened Servant.

But, it wasn't over as Saber raised her sword again with dark energy circulating around her.

Mash heaved in a sharp breath and reassured in a weak voice. "I'm fine. It's not over yet…"

"Mash…" I stared at her with his eyebrows furrowed. He shifted back to see Saber more resolved than ever to unleash her Noble Phantasm at her again.

Familiar dark purple energy moving up and channeling towards the blade, a black-purplish energy sword-shaped charged and generated bigger than before.

"Don't worry, Mash it's my turn now" Saber said as she stepped forward, to stand before us.

"Are you going to face me with that sword, younger 'me'?" Black Saber asked her other self while holding her black sword

A small nod with a resolution expression in White Saber face responding the black one's question

"Hmm, very well"

White Saber also raised her golden sword in front of her.

"Sword of Selection!" she raised her sword higher above her.

"Wind, Earth, Fire, and Water"

A sparkle of light manifest from her sword and the area that surround her filled with light

"Grant me your power!"

A swirl of light appears from the sword.

Black Saber smirked, realizing that Mash could go on no further and that before her stood only Caliburn, which her own Excalibur dwarfed in all respects. The two, almost mirror images but for the vast gulf of beliefs between them, raised their swords in perfect sync. And responding White Saber act, Black Saber starting called out the true name of her Noble Phantasm

" **Excalibur…** 'Sword of…'"

"Cleave the wicked! " now they in same stances, golden sword vs black sword

" **Caliburn!** 'Golden Sword of Assured Victory'"  
" **…Morgan!** '… Promised Victory'"

They speak in unison and released their Noble Phantasms.

The pressure of the two colliding magical energies primed was enough to raise the hairs on the backs of everyone's necks, as we realized that this was the clash of two true holy swords.

Supreme darkness, the ancient miasma of Britain.

Golden light, the ideal and dream of a young king.

Darkness and light collided in a thunderous crash. Stone was shattered and rock was ravaged, the cavern falling to pieces all around them as the ceiling was beginning to crack from the abuse it was taking.

The two sword beams clashed in the middle, yet instantly one began to overpower the other. It took less than a second for it to overtake the other holy sword and the knight king wielding it barely had time to utter a sound of surprise before what remained of the Noble Phantasm's power after taking out the Excalibur's blast slammed into her.

"Gah!" Black Saber slammed into the wall, scorched and burned. Her armor was gone as was her left hand which had been holding onto Excalibur, thus had received the brunt of Caliburn's burning light.

White Saber walked up to her, with slow and certain steps. In her hand, was the cracked and broken Caliburn. Alter could not tear her one working eye away from the golden sword as she tried to understand what had happened.

"...H...ow?"

Perhaps it had been due to Black Saber being pressed so hard before. Perhaps it was due to it being her second full force blow with Excalibur in a row, a weapon which was tiring to use even a single time. Perhaps it was simply a difference in the way the Noble Phantasms displayed their power over time, with Caliburn bursting forward in a straight line and with Excalibur Morgan releasing a constant stream through which a concentrated attack could go through...

Who could say, but both understood that this was a once-in-a-thousand chance upset, something that should not have been possible, but yet had been made to happen. Perhaps it was simply the nature of heroes to tip the scales when the chips were down.

"...It's something my Master taught me." White Saber admitted, raising her hand where the Caliburn was already fading away. Starting from the tip of the blade, the holy sword was turning into motes of golden light and disappearing into nothingness. "he gave me the copy of Caliburn. Well, I can only use it once." Such was a Broken Phantasm, after all. While it was a shame to destroy such a fine blade, Artoria believed it to be alright as a true blow made with all her powers. "But more importantly... Were you able to see it?"

Black Saber did not answer. Perhaps she could not answer, due to the fact that her entire left side was gone. Without her heart, even she would die.

"...T..he dream...huh... To think that I was defeated by a fake blade" Alter closed her eyes and breathed her last, a second later she began turning into motes of light, disappeared as her spirit core had been destroyed.

"Victory for the power that protects? I see…"

Her golden orbs focused on Mash's shield that withstood and continued. "Such like that innocent one…"

"Innocent…?"

I repeated with surprise laced in his voice. "You know the identity of the Servant?"

Black Saber showed a satisfied grin and turned her head aside. "Hmph. Unbeknownst to me, my power has weakened. I stayed my hand at the last moment. I was going to defend the Holy Grail to the end, but I lost because my tenacity wavered."

Gazed upwards to the sky, Black Saber mumbled to herself in an enigmatic tone. "Ultimately, no matter how my fate changes, I will always meet the same end if I'm alone."

"Eventually, you too will realize it, Young King of Knights," Black Saber turned back and faced White Saber. "Grand Order—the battle to obtain the Holy Grail has only begun."

Black Saber's body shone in a golden light as her body slowly dissolved from the light below. I stretched my hand out and exclaimed, "Hold on, who is the Servant that Mash contracted with her? You know the true identity, don't you?!"

"That shall be something you'll figure out soon with your intelligence and resourcefulness.

Perhaps White Saber had been merely seeing things, but at the end it looked almost like her eye had been green as she passed away.

"I told you, didn't I? This is the best possible match up" said Caster who just came with Shirou Emiya. "That young lady class is Shielder 'Heroic Spirit of Shield'"

Saber Lily turned around to see her Master and make a run to him "Master!"

"Saber"

"Thanks goodness, you're alright, Master"

Switching their attention to Caster, they looked at his body fading in the same golden light as Saber. Caster raised his fist up and grunted, "Oh crap, I am getting sent back too?"

"Dammit! I don't like this, but whatever," Caster turned to the two Masters and shouted. "Kid, Lady, I'm leaving the rest to you!"

"Caster!" I tried to reach my hand out to him.

The blue-haired Servant smirked and rested his staff over his shoulder as he glanced elsewhere. "If there's a next time, try to summon me as a Lancer!"

Caster's final words echoed in the atmospheres with the golden dissolving their body, leaving behind nobody but a golden crystal from Saber's spot onto the ground. Watched where they stood quietly, Mash soon spoke from the tranquil silence. "Confirming both Saber and Caster have vanished.

"… Does this mean we've won?" Mash turned towards her Master.

{ _Yes, you did a fine job, Mash, Fujimaru-kun, and Emiya-kun!_ } Romani's cheery voice chirped out from Ritsuka's wristwatch. { _It looks like I can't get any visuals from there, so I can't see your happy faces._ }

Relaxed and bright grins bloomed on the three of their faces, they looked at each other and grinned wider at their achievement. Romani's voice went on, " _The Director must be so pleased… Now we don't have to worry about Singularity F. Hey, where's the Director?_ "

Eyes examining around, they soon settled on Olga Marie who stayed at her spot with her head lowered. Her brows furrowed as she muttered to herself in a concerned voice, "Grand Order… How did that Servant know that name?"

"Orders please, Director Marie," Shirou requested, addressing her with Saber Lily, Mash and I behind him.

Noticed that Olga Marie didn't budge to face up, I took a stride closer and leaned his head and probed. "Is something the matter?"

"Huh? O-Oh right," Olga Marie snapped her head upwards to look at the three of them awaiting her next order. She cleared her throat and made a proud yet well-hidden strained beam. "Well done Fujimaru, Emiya, Mash, Saber. Several points are unclear, but let's call this mission complete."

The four face lit up with their grin surfaced as they glanced at each other. As they nodded, Olga Marie nodded too and instructed next. "First, let's retrieve that crystal. It's the reason Saber became abnormal… It's the reason Fuyuki City became a Singularity."

"Yes," Mash nodded, "An immediate retrieval—What?"

A slow clapping sound reverberated in the tranquil atmosphere. Shock and attentive expression shown on the five faces as they searched around for the origin. The clapping sound picked up its pace adopted by an uncanny calm yet familiar voice, "Well, I didn't expect you'd get this far."

With the clapping sound ceased, they gazed at their head high to the top of the rock wall where a familiar figure wearing a top hat stood. They tucked their arms behind them and admitted,

"Beyond my plan's expectations and my own tolerances.

"Master Candidate #48 Fujimaru Ritsuka … And you, Extra Master Candidate Emiya Shirou.

"It was my mistake naively to overlook both of you as an improbable child."

With a more distinct view of the figure, I widened my eyes and my mouth agape.

"You're…!"

"Professor Lev?" Mash's orb widened upon realizing. She let out a faint breath of relief slipped from her lips.

My wristwatch blinked as Romani's surprised voice shouted, { _Lev–? Professor Lev, you say? He's there?_ }

"Hm, is that Romani I hear? So, you survived," Lev stared down at the four. "I told you to come to the command room at once, but it seems you didn't listen. Honestly–!"

" _Lev…?_ " Romani's puzzled voice emitted from the wristwatch.

Lev's eyes shot opened revealing black beady and silted eyes glared at them in a disdainful expression. "Trash who can't even follow orders. Just the mere sight of it makes me want to throw up. Why is it humans always try to avoid their preordained fates?"

"Professor… Lev?" I weakly mumbled in bewilderment.

I merely stared at him in shock at what he uttered. Romani let out a noise of an astonished gasp from the wristwatch. Neither them, Mash nor Romani could fathom what Lev spoke.

But, both Mash and Saber Lily eyes widened upon noticing something and shifted to both their Masters. "Masters, fall back! Fall back, please!"

"Mash, what's wrong?" my puzzled expression from the earlier turned towards Mash's insistence. I didn't understand the reason of her words or the fear expression worn on her face now.

The violet-haired Servant's eyebrows furrowed and her teeth gritted. "That person is dangerous… Th… That isn't Professor Lev we know!"

"What did you say?!" I dropped my hand and gawked at Mash's declaration.

"But, that's–!" As I turned my head back at Lev, my eyes narrowed to stare back at the man. No questions that the familiar appearance was Lev that I remembered and talked to hours before.

But with Mash's declaration, I felt there's a weird vibe coming from him. Instead of the amiable and welcoming vibe, an eerie and malicious vibe emitting from Lev.

Unknown to them, Olga Marie hadn't listened to Mash's declaration let out a relieved sigh. Tears formed and rolled down from her eyes, the Director's face bloomed a beam on her lips. "Lev… Oh, Lev! Lev! You're alive! Thank goodness!"

Her limbs moved and made a hasty dash as Olga Marie exclaimed with her overwhelmed relief of her assistant. "Without you, I don't know how I could protect Chaldea!"

"Director don't! That man is…!"

Mash's words fallen deaf to her ears as Olga Marie remained running towards Lev. Once closer, Olga Marie paused to take a deep breath. The Professor only smiled and answered in the familiar composed tone, "Hi, Olga. You seem well. Looks like you had a rough time, too."

"Yes, yes, that's right, Lev!" Olga Marie nodded and went on with the grin remained on her face.

"The command room blew up, the city's in ruins, and I can't return to Chaldea! I'm going crazy about all these unforeseen complications!

"But it's okay, as long as you're here we'll be fine, right? That's how it's always been, right? You'll help me this time too, won't you?"

"Yes. Honestly, all these complications have irritated me," Despite the familiar grin, the tone laced in his voice was anything but complying with Olga Marie.

"And the biggest complication is you, Olga."

Unfazed by the shocked expression on the Director's face, Lev confessed bluntly. "I set the bomb right under your feet, yet you still live."

Behind Olga Marie, the four widened their eyes as their mouth dropped significantly from the revelation. She staggered back and weakly murmured, "What? L-Lev? Um, wh-what's that supposed to mean?"

"Sorry, you're not actually alive," Lev's grin flashed his razor-sharp teeth with his grin twisted into a delighted smirk. His black beady eyes looked down at the horrified Director and continued, "You're already dead. Your body, at least, long ago."

"The… Director is dead…? No… No way… but—"

Shirou repeated his words, his eyes stared at the equally horrified Director on the exact truth.

Lev went on with his words as his grin broadened at Olga Marie's reaction. "Trismegistus thoughtfully transferred you into this land after you'd become residual thoughts. You had no aptitude for Rayshift while alive, right? You can't teleport while you have a physical body."

"Lies…" Olga Marie uttered in a weak voice.

"Understand? You only gained the aptitude you so desired after you died. That's why you can't return to Chaldea. The moment you do, your consciousness will vanish."

"Wh-What? I'll vanish?" Olga Marie weakly repeated his remarks. "Wait… I can't return to Chaldea?"

"Indeed. But that's too sad a story for you," Lev stretched his right hand outwards. "Let me show you the fate of the Chaldea that you devoted your entire life to."

Orange orbs turned to her left, Olga Marie followed the golden crystal that Saber dropped flew towards Lev's hand. Once in his grip, Lev lifted his hand and the golden crystal turned into a glowing orb. It absorbed into his palm and he lifted another hand up to snap his fingers.

Behind him, a violet light burst into an enormous circle which revealed the familiar command room in ruins.

However, the enormous circle showed the familiar glowing crimson globe floating in the midst of the room.

Tilted her head skyward, Olga Marie's lip trembled to express at the sight she saw. "Wh-What is that? Chaldeas is bright red? It's a lie, right? It's just an illusion, right, Lev?"

"No, it's real. I've connected the dimensions for you," Lev replied in an unconcerned tone.

"Having the Holy Grail allows me to do so."

Collected gasps heard not merely from the four but faintly at the command room where Romani and the rest of the Chaldea staff were. A chuckle slipped from Lev's lips as he proclaimed, "Now behold, the descendant of Animusphere. Behold your folly! Not a sliver of blue representing human survival remains. Nothing but a burning, bright, red. That is the outcome of this mission. Isn't it wonderful, Marie?" Lev laughed aloud before them.

"Once again, your incompetence has brought forth tragedy!"

As Lev continued to laugh, the four who stood shocked, Ritsuko repeated Lev's declaration.

"No, that can't be," I gritted his teeth. "There's no way, this is the truth–!"

"Don't—Don't be absurd!" protest Shirou

Jerked his head to the front, Olga Marie gritted her teeth and glared fiercely at Lev. "I'm not responsible! I didn't fail! I'm not dead! Who are you? What have you done to my Chaldeas!"

"It isn't 'yours.' Honestly," Annoyance flashed across Lev's face, he swung his hand outwards in a golden glowing light. "What an annoying girl you are!"

The same golden light illuminated Olga Marie's body. She floated high into the air and pulled towards to the front. The Director struggled as panic now overwhelmed her. "Wha… Something's pulling—my body across space–!"

"I told you. It now connects that place with Chaldea," Lev set his hand back down and smirked at her. "I could kill you now, but there's no grace to that. I will grant you your final wish, instead. Go ahead and lay your hands on your treasure. Think of it as benevolence on my part."

"Wait—What do you mean, Lev? My treasure… You mean Chaldeas?" Met at the burning red globe reaching close to her that drew her in, Olga Marie screamed as she struggled harder than before. "No, stop, please! Chaldeas? A high-density body of data? A territory of a dimensional anomaly?"

"Yes. No different from a black hole. Or perhaps a sun. Well, either way," Lev answered with an unconcerned tone. "A human touching it would be a hellish disintegration on the molecular level. By all means, have a taste of infinite living death!"

Mouth letting a terrified gasp, I tried to rush over, "Director!"

Mash quickly seized hold of my arm to stop him, "No, Senpai!"

"No—No, no! Someone help me! Help! I… I don't want to die here!"

Turned their head back to Olga Marie, she remained screaming as her body drew closer to the

Chaldeas globe. "Because I've never been praised… I've never been praised by anyone! Why? Why does this always happen to me?!"

Tears flowed down her pale terrified face, Olga Marie wept and pleaded to hope for a miracle took place for her. "No one ever valued me! Everyone hated me! No! Stop! No, no, no, no, no… I haven't even accomplished anything yet!

"From the moment I was born, I've never been accepted by anyone–!"

"Director!" I struggled to remove his arm away from Mash.

Shirou grabbed hold of my shoulder and reminded, "It's too late! We won't make it–!"

"Noooooo!"

Before their view, Olga Marie's body turned as her back landed against the globe. Electrics sparks emitted from the globe and electrocuted her body. The sparks melted her torso against the globe in a liquid state as she continued to scream.

Her painful cries slowly diminished as her eyes shut tight, her body disappearing into one with the globe. As the sparks continued electrocuting her, Olga Marie's soul extinguished before the four. When the electrical sparks disappeared, the four stood still.

Memories of Olga Marie flashed through in their mind, her laughter, her anger, her stubborn dishonesty.

And lastly, her appreciative grin and compliments to them for achieving their mission.

Those brief hours with her on this journey despite the bouts of disputes. Anger and grief swelled in their heart. Stood there in silence as Shirou remembered, his eyes narrowed in fury at the man before them.

His teeth gritted with fury and with a low growl escaped, Shirou tried to charge forward with a pair of swords, "YOU FUCKING BASTARD!"

I stood before him and grasped his arm before he left. "Stop it, Shirou! We know how you feel, but you go there right now is just an ambush set at you!"

He grit his teeth at the fact.

Saber placed her hand onto her shoulder and directed her eyes at the globe to remind her Master of Olga's demise. "Don't do it, Master! If you approach that man, you'll die the same way!"

Hearing the agitation, Lev turned his attention to them. But, Mash's nerves jolted with dread and wary as her orbs shrunk. "Oh, no!"

Quickly stood before the two, Mash slammed her shield onto the ground and Saber Lily draw her true Caliburn before them protectively.

But, Lev merely smirked at them or Mash particular and complimented. "Oh? Impressive, for a Demi-Servant. You sense I am a fundamentally different life form. Shall I reintroduce myself? My name is Lev Lainur Flauros…"

He brought one hand to his back, the other planted on his chest and gave a courteous bow. "In charge of the year 2016 sent to dispose of you humans. Are you listening, Dr. Romani?"

As I raised my wristwatch up, Lev declared in an unwavering tone. "As a friend who studied magecraft with you, let me give you the final advice. Chaldea is finished. You humans have reached the moment of your destruction."

A faint audible buzz emanated from my wristwatch before Romani's wary voice answered, "Professor Lev. No, Lev Lainur. What do you mean? Is it related to being unable to see 2018?"

"It's not 'related.' It's the reality that this is the end," Lev laughed with a sneer on his face grew wider. "Unable to see the future, you babbled that it had 'disappeared.' That was truly wishful thinking. The future didn't disappear. It was incinerated.

"The moment it dyed Chaldeas crimson. Your end is certain. Your era no longer exists. Chaldeas' magnetic field may be protecting Chaldea, but anyone outside will face the same as Fuyuki City."

"… So, that was it," Romani's voice acknowledged. He went on with a knowing tone after comprehending Lev's declaration. "We didn't lose contact with the outside world due to interference, we lost the outside world itself."

Me and Shirou gasped in terror after hearing what Romani explained.

Eyes widened upon realizing the truth of how much worse it came from the moment Chaldea Headquarters caught in the explosion.

Lev frowned and grunted in a vexed tone. "Hmph, you really are perceptive. A shame I didn't kill you at once."

A smirk returned on Lev's lips and announced, "But that too is futile resistance. If the time within Chaldea passes 2017, it will be wiped from this universe. No one can change the outcome now.

This is a rejection of humanity by human history.

"You didn't perish because of your inability to evolve, nor did you perish due to war with foreign species." Dark laughter escaped Lev's lips together with a decisive declaration. "Rather, it was your own foolishness! Your incompetence! Because you lost the grace of our King! Like a bunch of worthless scrap paper, you'll be burned away without a trace!"

GURA GURA!

The ground shook fiercely, causing the four nearly losing their footing.

Shirou scanned the area and wondered, "An earthquake?!"

After checking around, Mash shook her head and corrected, "No… This is…!"

Debris from the ceiling collapsed from the rocking, the ground forming fissure as the shock continued. Water sloshed from the top of the rock wall where Lev stood, he stared it calmly before turning upwards. "Ah, is this singularity at its limit?"

A slight frown appeared on Lev's lips and he recalled, "Cursed Saber. If you'd just obeyed, you could have lived. Even when given the Holy Grail, she caused trouble by wanting to sustain this

era."

"Farewell, Romani. And you Mash, Candidate #48… Also, Extra Candidates," Lev turned back to them with his beady eyes tightened at them. "Believe it or not, I have other things to do. My enjoyment of your destruction ends here."

He flew high in mid-air and bid, "Now, be swallowed by the dimensional warp. But I'm not that evil, I'll allow you to say a final prayer."

"Bastard!"

At my furious yelling, Lev gave them one last smirk before fleeing into the large circle. The large circle shrunk and disappeared, leaving stronger tremor from the current earthquake. Mash put her shield over her to cover against the rocks as the siblings crouched close to her.

The violet-haired Servant peeked at the side and watched larger rocks descending to the ground.

"The underground caverns collapsing! No, the cavern wasn't stable in the first place!"

"Doctor! Perform an emergency Rayshift!" Mash turned to my wristwatch. "At any rate, we can at least save both Senpais!"

{ _Understood! I'm already doing it!_ } Romani's voice responded. { _But I'm sorry, it may collapse faster than I can fix it! Just hang on to your consciousness! If we don't lose that, I might salvage–!_ }

Bzzt!

The sudden buzz cut off Romani's words, leaving the wristwatch's light stopped flickering.

Ritsuka stared at his watch and exclaimed, "Doctor?!"

The ground beneath broke and flung them high into the air. I stretched my hand out as he swung to his sister. "Ritsuko!"

Ritsuko quickly stretched her hand out "Mash-chan, your hand!"

"Senpai!"

"Master!"

"Saber!" Shirou and Saber Lily managed to locked their hands. While Mash tried to reach for my hand, but we were too far apart. I keep stretched out his my free hand and yelled, "Mash, this way!"

"Senpais, your hand!"

Hands swiping and thrusting forward to get for the other. The two Masters gritted and propelled

themselves closer to their friend. With both hand stretched forward from every ounce of strength, they caught hold of their Servant's hand respectively firmly once their fingertips grazed.

But, as they grasped hold of their Servants arms, the vision before changed into complete darkness. The last thing they picked up was the loud continuous of the rocks tumbling from above…

* * *

 **Honestly, initially, I was trying make Shirou project Gae Bolg for Caster Cu but that was taking too much time. So, I** **decided to put** **turas realta manga scene with First Order flash rune scene as a shortcut. DAMN.**

 **Horrible, just horrible. Even I feel disappointed** **in myself** **.**

 **Oh, my roll on Merlin banner? I have to wait for next 2 years again to get you-know-who. I only got NP 3 Salter, but I'm satisfied. For some reason, why Salter's stat is better than her vanilla Counterpart when I comparing them** **at the same** **level? I mean, they** **got the same** **skill set.** **However** **, Salter is just better than Saber.**

Next chapter : Grand Order - Quest for the Holy Grail


	5. Chapter 0-4 Grand Order

**You thought it was just one chapter! It was Two chapter! (why I'm doing this JoJo reference anyway?)**

* * *

Chapter 0-4: Grand Order - Quest for the Holy Grail

"Haah!" Flinched at the sudden bright light, Ritsuka seated up and stared around the area. He was back at his room where Mash brought him to rest from the orientation. While looking around, he recalled and stared back at his right hand.

It clearly wasn't a dream, one of the red markings of the Command Seal turned into a beige pinkish color. The hand helped Mash to prevent Saber's Noble Phantasm from killing them all.

"Fou?"

Turned to the familiar squeak, Fou rested on the chair with his white coat draped above. Ritsuka stared at it and wondered. "What's wrong?"

It hopped from the chair and headed to the door. Fou spun around and squeaked at the raven-haired Master to follow along.

Nodded to the instruction, Ritsuka got off the bed and picked up his coat with him to follow where Fou had wanted to bring him to.

Inside the familiar Command Room when he entered, Ritsuka stopped and made a swift scan.

Except for the blaze orange flames and human bodies, the room was still the same as before.

Debris and broken Coffins scattered around in the room.

Ritsuka watched and followed Fou as it scurried further forwards in front. As soon as he arrived,

A familiar figure swelled his heart with relief. Mash bending down to carry Fou onto her shoulder.

Mash spun around when sounds of footsteps approached her.

"Good morning, Senpai," Mash smiled. "I am glad to see you're okay."

"Ahh… Good morning," Ritsuka beamed in response. He went towards hee and wrapped both of his arms around Mash.

"Se-Senpai?" Mash stared at Ritsuka's strange movements."is there something wrong?"

The raven-haired Master merely shook his head and responded, "No, there isn't. I'm just glad you are okay… Thank you for being all right"

Silence enveloped between them that shared a grateful moment they were still here together alive. But, it had interrupted from the clearing of the throat. "Ahem. I'm all for your reunion, but could you bring your attention here, please?"

Withdrawing their hands at once, Ritsuka turned and noticed Romani standing behind them. He let out a relaxed sigh and greeted with a bright grin. "Good morning, Doctor!"

"Good morning, you two." Romani smiled to the three, "First, congratulations

on surviving and completing your mission, Ritsuka-kun"

Romani continued, "While the situation forced on you gradually, you bravely faced the challenges and overcame it. That earned my respect and appreciation. Thanks to you two, Mash and Chaldea were saved."

But, a somber expression appeared on Romani's face and included. "It's a shame about the Director, but we've no time to hold a service. All we can do is grieve."

"If I survived, then maybe the Director…!"

Despite Ritsuka's hopeful face, a solemn and grim expression lingered on the two's faces.

Olga Marie's death before them three wasn't a dream as he recalled.

Neither, the fact Lev betrayed Chaldea and wiped out all of humanity was a dream too.

Eventually, Ritsuka bowed his head and showed the same solemn expression.

Romani soon spoke again but in a milder and assuring tone, "Listen. We must defend humanity in the Director's place. That's how we pay tribute."

His expression shifted to a more severe expression and informed, "I got the report about the crystal from Mash, and what Lev said. From Chaldea's state, what Lev said was true. We can't contact the outside world. The staff who left Chaldea haven't returned. I fear humanity has already been destroyed. Chaldea seems to be the only place outside the normal timeline. Perhaps it's hanging on the timeline right before the collapse. Think of it like a colony floating in space. The outside world is dead until we do something about this situation."

"Is there something we can do?!" Ritsuka questioned with a now refreshed determined face.

It received a shock reaction from Mash and Romani before the latter nodded to him. "Of course. First, I want you to see this. We tried scanning Earth with the resurrected Sheba. It's Earth of the past, not the future. The Fuyuki Singularity was destroyed, thanks to both of you. But we hypothesize that the future was unchanged due to another cause. The result is–!"

Followed Romani's head directing to Chaldeas globe, a blue nebula-like light glowed in the middle of the room. It showed 7 bright bluish-white dots on each other parts of the globe. Romani then continued his report, "This distorted world map. A newly discovered dimensional disturbance against which Fuyuki pales in comparison. They say changing the past changes the future, but you can't overthrow the future by modifying the past. History has the power to heal itself. You might save a person or two… But the end of that era—Will still end up with its definitive result unchanged. But these singularities are different. These are humanity's turning points."

"Turning Points?" Ritsuka questioned

"'What if this war didn't end?'

"'If this naval voyage wasn't successful?'

"'Maybe this discovery was wrong?'

"'Or even if this nation couldn't become independent?'

"The ultimate decision point to determine the current state of humanity. Destroying them is like causing the foundation of human history to crumble. That's what these seven singularities are. It had already decided the future when these seven singularities formed.

"As Lev said, humanity doesn't make it to 2018." Romani turned back to the three with a Grim look and reminded, "But, we're different. Chaldea has yet to reach that future. Do you understand? Only we can fix this mistake. Now we have a chance to return the singularities to normal."

Shifted to Ritsuka, the Doctor proposed, "So here's the deal. Rayshift into these seven singularities and get history back on track. It's the only way to save Humanity. But, we are still powerless. All other Master candidates are frozen, except Extra Candidates"

"Extra Candidates? Who are they?" Ritsuka asked, only to be responded from behind.

"We are" Ritsuka turned around to see Shirou with Saber Lily, Ayaka, Gray and Illyasviel walked to them.

Romani turned to Mash who showed a stoic yet troubled expression and went on. "Mash and Saber Lily is the only Servants we have. Currently"

Returned to Masters, Romani heaved a deep breath and stared at them. "I realize you are being forced into this situation. Even so, I'll still say it. Master Candidate #48, Fujimaru Ritsuka…

And Extra Candidates . If you all wish to save Humanity… If you wish to have a future beyond 2017. Then all of you together alone must face these seven singularities in human history. Are you prepared to do this? Can you shoulder the burden of Chaldea and Humanity's future?"

Despite the calmness, everyone could understand the severity in Romani's words. The heaviest burden tasked to them in bringing back Humanity. Most of them were mere children who became caught up in this chaos for their own future too.

There's an option to run away which was equal to the decision of accepting Lev's words and allowing their home to be gone. They then nodded to Romani and answered with a resolute voice. "Of course."

"If it's something we can do, Doctor," Ritsuka added with a determined tone.

With their expressions, Romani and Mash both illuminated with a grateful and relieved look.

Romani smiled to them and nodded, "Thank you. With those words, we have decided our fate."

He later turned upwards to face the staff in the command room, declaring with an unyielding tone.

"We will now carry out the Preservation of Humanity as laid out by Olga Marie Animusphere, former director of Chaldea. The main goal is the protection and recovery of human history. Search target will be each era's relic and Grail. Our opponent is history itself. Many great Heroic Spirits and legends will stand against you. Challenging them is an act of blasphemy against the

past. To save Humanity, we must defy history. But this is the only way to survive. No, the only way to take back the future," Romani closed his eyes and took a deep breath before resuming. "No matter what sort of end awaits us. To show our determination, we shall abandon the original mission name, First Order.

"This is now Chaldea's last yet original mission. The Grand Order! In the name of the magical world's highest Order. We will take back the future!"

In the background, on one of monitors show

-46 Coffins are occupied-

…

-47 Coffins are occupied-

* * *

 **I feel doing this halfway done. In case you confused where 46 came from, there are 8 A-team members(including Mash) and there are 40 others(including Ritsuka) you do the math.**

 **By the way, can you guess who's 47th occupant?**

 **For next 4 chapter ahead will be released simultaneously**

Next chapter : Interlude - Masters


End file.
